Budapest, Hungary (AFP) NATO chief Mark Rutte said Thursday North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine posed a direct threat to the United States — in a first pitch to convince Donald Trump to keep backing Kyiv.

Trump’s thumping victory to return to the US presidency has set nerves jangling in Europe that he could pull the plug on Washington’s support for Ukraine.

NATO allies insist keeping Kyiv in the fight against Moscow is key to both European and American security — and Rutte sought to join the dots for Trump between the conflict and Washington’s major foes elsewhere.

“What we see more and more is that North Korea, Iran, China, and of course Russia are working together, working together against Ukraine,” Rutte told reporters at a European leaders’ meeting in Budapest.

“At the same time, Russia has to pay for this, and one of the things they are doing is delivering technology to North Korea, which is now threatening in future the mainland of the US, continental Europe,” he warned.

“I look forward to sit down with Donald Trump to discuss how we can face these threats collectively,” Rutte said.

North Korea has become one of the strongest backers of Russia’s full-scale offensive in Ukraine, and the West has long accused Pyongyang of supplying artillery shells and missiles to Moscow.

Based on intelligence reports, Western powers now believe Pyongyang has deployed around 10,000 troops to Russia to fight against Ukraine in the Kursk region.

“North Korea is now, in effect, waging war in Europe. North Korean soldiers are attempting to kill our people on European soil,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Budapest.

The Ukrainian leader said that offering any “concessions” to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine would be “suicidal for all Europe”.

“Should Europe seek the favour of Kim Jong Un in hopes that he, too, will leave Europe in peace?” Zelensky asked.

Iran meanwhile stands accused of supplying Russia with missiles and drones, while China has been deemed a key backer for keeping technology heading to Russia that Moscow needs to maintain its fight.

Trump has rattled US allies by casting doubt on the tens of billions of dollars in military aid Washington has pumped into Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

The volatile ex-reality TV star has sparked fears that he could force Kyiv to accept a peace deal on Moscow’s terms after insisting he could end the war in a single day.

– ‘Ukraine deserves our support’ –

Keeping Ukraine’s single biggest donor on board is seen by most as vital to ensuring Kyiv stays afloat — especially at a time of political uncertainty in major European powers Germany and France.

On the battlefield Ukraine’s fatigued troops are struggling to stave off Russia’s advances as they approach three years of full-scale combat.

Europe together has spent some $125 billion on supporting Ukraine, while the United States alone has coughed up more than $90 billion, according to a tracker from the Kiel Institute.

Military superpower Washington has the deepest arms reserves and has supplied many of the most effective weapons used in the war.

“Any narrative that can help Trump look more favourably on Ukraine is good and worth trying,” said one senior NATO diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive topics.

Many EU leaders meeting at the summit in Budapest sought to downplay the threat of Washington ending its support for Ukraine — and insisted Europe would keep going regardless.

“Ukraine deserves our support, no matter if we are the United States or Europe, because they were attacked, brutally attacked by the aggressor country,” said Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda.

“This is not only about Ukraine. This is about rules-based international order, and we have to preserve it.”

Outgoing Belgian premier Alexander De Croo said that if the United States “would decide to change, that does not mean that we need to change”.

“That the support for Ukraine stands or collapses with the United States is not true — European countries play a very determining role in that,” he said.