China and Russia are accused by the United States of defending North Korea at the UN

On Wednesday, the United States said that China and Russia are now supporting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by preventing the United Nations Security Council from sanctioning Pyongyang for its repeated nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

‘The DPRK (North Korea) has enjoyed blanket protection from two members of this council,’ U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said according to Reuters.

‘In short, two permanent members of the Security Council have enabled Kim Jong Un.’

Following the US and South Korean military exercises last week, North Korea conducted several intermediate-range ballistic missile tests. Just a few days after US Vice President Kamala Harris travelled to Seoul for a diplomatic mission, a missile was also launched over Japan.

China and Russia intended to keep the discussions at the security council’s Wednesday meeting about the missile launches private, but the United States, Britain, France, Albania, Brazil, India, Ireland, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates all denounced North Korea in a public statement.