On Monday, the UN Security Council (USNC) is expected to vote on a draft resolution introducing additional sanctions on North Korea. Likely policies to be included in the draft include an oil embargo, bans on North Korean textile exports, and prohibitions on hiring North Korean laborers abroad.

But recent speculation has dealt with a question: will Russia veto the resolution? Signals are mixed, and to answer this question, one should understand the inner logic of Russia’s policy, as well as Russia’s interests and stakes in the Korean issue.