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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
South Korea is moving closer to Russia amid deteriorating relations with Ukraine, alarming European allies, - Financial Times
Under President Yoon Suk Yeol, Seoul is gradually restoring diplomatic and economic contacts with Moscow despite the war against Ukraine and Russia's military cooperation with North Korea.
Just in July–August, South Korea sent more than 176 thousand tons of fuel to Russia, mostly diesel. Some shipments were carried out by tankers under sanctions.
At the same time, closed negotiations are taking place between representatives of the two countries, and the president's adviser on peace diplomacy has been appointed politician Song Young-gil, whom Putin previously awarded the Order of Friendship.
Relations with Kyiv, by contrast, have sharply deteriorated. After a dispute over disclosure of information about two North Korean prisoners of war, Seoul recalled its ambassador from Ukraine and reduced its diplomatic presence.
European diplomats fear that South Korea is already preparing to return to business with Russia after the war, placing its own economic interests above solidarity with Ukraine.
Fuel supplies are especially painful for Ukraine because, as the president's sanctions policy commissioner Vlasyuk said, they helped Russia alleviate shortages after Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries. However, Seoul disputes the accusations, claiming there has allegedly been no direct export of fuel to Russia.
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