Lavrov signals shift in Russia's North Korea policy, says stance on sanctions has changed

In a stark reversal, Russia will withdraw support for UN sanctions against North Korea, upending over a decade of policy of voting at the Security Council, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced.

The diplomat told Russian propagandists that Moscow would no longer support the sanctions against North Korea because "the geopolitical climate has completely changed since the UN imposed sanctions."

Lavrov also accused the West of promising humanitarian aid to North Korea, but allegedly it was a "blatant lie."

The UN Security Council imposed sanctions on North Korea in 2006 in connection with the country's first tests of nuclear weapons and its missile programs. Russia voted for the introduction of these sanctions, as well as for their strengthening until 2016.

According to the Voice of America, "Western countries have repeatedly suspected that Russia and China may violate the sanctions regime that they themselves voted for."

On Wednesday, during a visit to Russia, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said that North Korea "has always supported all decisions of President Putin and the Russian government."

Pyongyang openly supported Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

In July 2023, the Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, visited North Korea, where he met with his colleague, as well as with dictator Kim Jong Un. Apparently, he went to negotiate delivery of ammunition.

North Korean propaganda said afterwards that Shoigu allegedly said that North Korea's army had " become the strongest in the world".