North Korea and Russia defended their right to military cooperation during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday, after the U.S. and its allies called the session to denounce Pyongyang’s alleged deployment of troops to fight against Ukraine.

The emergency meeting again exposed stark divisions in the global body that obstruct action against the DPRK and Russia’s apparent violations of longstanding sanctions, amid burgeoning security ties between the two allies.

DPRK Ambassador Kim Song condemned the meeting as a U.S.-led effort “to distort the essence of the situation, out of their hostile policies and sordid political motives.”

In line with