Devendra Kumar
Russia’s decision to veto a United Nations resolution has sparked widespread outrage and concern among Western nations. The veto effectively abolished the monitoring of sanctions against North Korea by UN experts, sparking fears that Russia’s actions may be aimed at shielding its own weapons purchases from North Korea and using them in its war against Ukraine. The resolution, sponsored by the United States, would have extended the mandate of the panel of experts for a year, but Russia’s veto will halt its operations.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, argued that the sanctions against North Korea are “irrelevant” and “detached from reality” in reining in its nuclear program, and that Western nations are trying to “strangle” the country. However, US deputy ambassador Robert Wood countered that Russia’s veto was a “reheated attempt to silence the independent objective investigations” into North Korea’s sanctions violations. Wood added that Russia acted because the panel had begun reporting on Russia’s own violations of UN Security Council resolutions.
Western diplomats and spokespersons have strongly condemned Russia’s veto, calling it a “reckless action” that undermines the sanctions imposed on North Korea. The White House national security spokesman, John Kirby, warned against the growing cooperation between North Korea and Russia, particularly as North Korea continues to supply Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine. British ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, criticized Russia’s veto, saying it was not about demonstrating concern for the North Korean people or the effectiveness of sanctions, but rather about giving Russia the freedom to evade and breach sanctions in pursuit of weapons to be used against Ukraine.
French ambassador to the UN, Nicolas de Riviere, pointed out that North Korea has been providing Russia with military material in support of its aggression against Ukraine, in violation of many UN resolutions that Russia had previously voted in favor of. The Security Council has imposed sanctions on North Korea after its first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and has tightened them over the years in response to the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The monitoring panel’s mandate had been renewed for 14 years, and its operations will now be halted due to Russia’s veto. The move has been seen as a significant setback for international efforts to pressure North Korea to comply with UN resolutions and to address security concerns. The halt in monitoring will make it more difficult for the international community to track North Korea’s compliance with UN sanctions, and will undermine efforts to address the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.