US pushing to cut off oil to North Korea with UN resolution

The United States is pushing for an oil embargo on North Korea as part of new United Nations sanctions against the country for its nuclear tests, Reuters reports, citing a draft of the U.N. resolution. 

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley is pushing for the U.N. Security Council to vote on the sanctions on Monday. The sanctions would also include a global ban on the country’s textile exports. 

China is currently North Korea’s largest supplier of crude oil, and one of the country’s few allies. According to Reuters, it is unclear if China supports the new U.N. resolution; as a permanent member of the security council, the country has veto power.

China has grown increasingly frustrated with its communist neighbor over reckless nuclear tests and threats against the United States. Meanwhile, North Korea has begun increasing its imports from Russia in an effort to fuel its military and industries, analysts told The New York Times. 

Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzia said Monday that the vote for a global embargo on oil exports to the country was “a little premature.”

Russia is another member of the Security Council with veto power.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told South Korean President Moon Jae-in at an economic conference on Wednesday that new economic sanctions and international pressure against North Korea would not help to denuclearize the country, saying it would only hurt the North Korean people.