US to confront Russia at UN over North Korean weapons
28 حزيران 2024 08:49
The United States will confront Russia at the United Nations Security Council on Friday over violating a North Korea arms embargo, and will push for China's view on growing ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, said deputy U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood.
The meeting of the 15-member council comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Pyongyang last week to sign a pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in which they agreed to provide military assistance if either faces armed aggression.
"This should be of great concern to the entire global community," Wood told Reuters ahead of the meeting, accusing Russia of "in essence siding with a rogue state to violate countless U.N. Security Council resolutions."
"This is unprecedented, and we need to call it out for what it is," he said. "We also want to see what China has to say about this growing military cooperation between DPRK and Russia. They cannot view this as a positive development."
China reacted guardedly last week. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the summit was a bilateral exchange between Russia and North Korea, but did not elaborate.
Formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006 for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and those measures have been strengthened over the years - with Russia's support.
But over the past year the United States has repeatedly accused North Korea of sending weapons to Russia to use in its war against Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022. Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the accusations.
The meeting of the 15-member council comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Pyongyang last week to sign a pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in which they agreed to provide military assistance if either faces armed aggression.
"This should be of great concern to the entire global community," Wood told Reuters ahead of the meeting, accusing Russia of "in essence siding with a rogue state to violate countless U.N. Security Council resolutions."
"This is unprecedented, and we need to call it out for what it is," he said. "We also want to see what China has to say about this growing military cooperation between DPRK and Russia. They cannot view this as a positive development."
China reacted guardedly last week. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the summit was a bilateral exchange between Russia and North Korea, but did not elaborate.
Formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006 for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and those measures have been strengthened over the years - with Russia's support.
But over the past year the United States has repeatedly accused North Korea of sending weapons to Russia to use in its war against Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022. Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the accusations.