Kursk incursion had 'big impact' on Global South countries, Zelensky says
Ukraine's incursion in Russia's Kursk Oblast is a "very strong trump card in any negotiations," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview on Ukrainian television released on Jan. 2.
"Especially with countries that are very important for us, the countries of the Global South," Zelensky said.
"I never thought it would have such a big impact on them because they were so influenced by the idea of 'invincible Russia.'"
Russia has been ramping up its efforts to push Ukraine out of the embattled Kursk Oblast as Kyiv continues to hold on to a piece of Russian territory in the hopes of leveraging it in possible negotiations.
There are growing expectations of possible peace talks in 2025 as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on Jan. 20, pledged to bring both sides to the negotiating table.
Ukrainian forces launched the unprecedented Kursk invasion in early August, achieving initial tactical success and marking the first time Russia was invaded at a significant since World War II.
In recent months, Ukraine has been on the defensive as Russia reportedly recaptured almost half of the lost territory and deployed reinforcements, including North Korean troops.
The strategic impact of the Kursk incursion has been hotly debated. Critics have pointed out that despite its stated goal of drawing away Russian forces from their offensive in Donetsk Oblast, Moscow's advance in Ukraine's east has only picked up pace since the incursion began.
In the interview, Zelensky called the deployment of North Korean soldiers in the region a "tactical mistake."
"And that's why there are 12,000 (North Koreans) who came with weapons, and the North Korean soldiers also couldn't do anything. All this works against Russia and is a strong argument for us."
The White House said on Dec. 27 that North Korean soldiers suffered over 1,000 casualties in Kursk Oblast over the past week alone as they carried out "human wave" assaults with little effect.
Natalia Yermak
