Biden to discuss North Korean troops' involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine at final meeting with Xi

US President Joe Biden plans to discuss Russia's war against Ukraine and the potential involvement of North Korean soldiers in it during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Peru.

As reported by Voice of America, according to a White House official, Biden and Xi are also expected to talk about US-China cooperation, the restoration of military contacts, the global fentanyl crisis and the risks associated with development of artificial intelligence.

Additionally, Biden is expected to express his "deep concern" over China's support for Russia’s war against Ukraine and the involvement of North Korean military personnel in aiding Russia. 

He also plans to raise concerns about China’s role in cyberattacks on US critical civilian infrastructure and Beijing’s increased military activity around Taiwan and in the South China Sea.

It was noted that this meeting is likely to be the last one between Biden and Xi before Donald Trump assumes office in the US.

A White House representative emphasised that the next administration will need to find a way to manage the "tough, complicated relationship" between the US and China.

"Russia, cross-strait issues, the South China Sea and cyber [security] are areas the next administration is going to need to think about carefully, because those are areas of deep policy difference with China, and I don't expect that will disappear," the official said in a conversation with journalists.

Last week, the United States confirmed that North Korean troops had recently participated in hostilities in Kursk Oblast for the first time.

In addition, according to The New York Times, 50,000 Russian and North Korean troops are preparing to launch a large-scale counteroffensive in Kursk Oblast.

NATO countries condemned Russia and North Korea's decision to engage North Korean troops in combat operations against Ukraine.