The leaders of Russia and China urged an end to sanctions on North Korea following a meeting in Moscow on Thursday, ahead of Victory Day celebrations set to showcase their alignment against the U.S.-led global order.

In a joint statement, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping called on “the relevant states to abandon the policy of unilateral coercive measures and military pressure” against the DPRK and “to refrain from further militarization of the Northeast Asian region and actions that provoke confrontation.”

The two leaders stressed the need for “practical steps aimed at easing tensions and eliminating the threat of armed