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Russia has vetoed the annual renewal of a United Nations panel that monitors the enforcement of sanctions against North Korea. This move challenges the longstanding efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

In a critique of current policies, the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out the ineffectiveness of the existing United Nations Security Council’s strategies. “It is obvious to us that the UN Security Council can no longer use old templates in relation to the problems of the Korean Peninsula,” stated Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the ministry. She further accused the United States and its allies of escalating military tensions and striving to “strangle” North Korea, emphasizing that such actions have not improved security or addressed the humanitarian consequences for the North Korean people.

Zakharova added, “The United States and its allies have clearly demonstrated that their interest does not extend beyond the task of ‘strangling’ the DPRK by all available means, and a peaceful settlement is not on the agenda at all. We call on the parties concerned to refrain from escalating steps and reconfigure themselves to find ways to detente, taking into account known security priorities.”

The US responds:
The US State Department has pushed back on Russia’s veto, arguing it undermines international peace and security. State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said, “Russia alone will own the outcome of this veto: a DPRK more emboldened to reckless behavior and destabilizing provocations, as well as reduced prospects for an enduring peace on the Korean Peninsula.”