NEW YORK – Russia and China on Thursday delayed a US push for a UN SecurityCouncil committee to order a halt to refined petroleum exports to NorthKorea, asking for more detail on a US accusation that Pyongyang breachedsanctions, diplomats said.

The United States last week complained to the 15-member Security CouncilNorth Korea sanctions committee that as of May 30, there had been 89illicit ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum products this year byPyongyang.

It asked the committee to notify all UN member states that North Korea hasbreached a refined petroleum cap of 500,000 barrels a year – imposed by thecouncil in December – and order an immediate halt to all transfers.

But Russia’s UN mission put a “hold” on the US request on Thursday, tellingthe committee it is “seeking additional information on every single case of’illegal’ transfer of petroleum,” diplomats said.

China backed the Russian request and asked the United States “to provideadditional factual information to facilitate all states to study and makejudgment,” diplomats said.

The move comes a day after US President Donald Trump said he elicited apromise from Russian President Vladimir Putin to help negotiate with NorthKorea but did not say how. He also said: “There is no rush, the sanctionsremain!”