Russia will defer to China's policy on North Korea

Significance

While Russia worries about the risk of instability triggered by a strict sanctions regime, its role in the North Korea crisis is limited to supporting China's calls for restraint on all sides. It has supported previous UN sanctions but is against US proposals for tougher action, partly because it insists the July 4 test was of an intermediate-range rather than intercontinental ballistic missile.

Impacts

• Moscow will support the current UN sanctions regime while trying to block expansion and occasionally flouting the rules.
• South Korean automotive and hi-tech investment is more likely in European Russia than eastern Russia.
• Russia has neither the will nor the ability to keep North Korea provided with essential goods.