The U.N. Security Council has unanimously agreed to extend the current arms embargo on Sudan’s western Darfur region for one month. This temporary extension aims to buy time for discussions on a U.S. proposal to expand the embargo to cover the entire country. The U.S. and its allies argue that a broader embargo is necessary to pressure the warring parties—Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces—to negotiate an end to the conflict, which has lasted more than three years. However, Russia, which has a veto in the council and supports Sudan’s government, has made it clear it will block any attempt to widen the arms restrictions. Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Anna Evstigneeva, stated during closed negotiations that Moscow would not allow any expansion of the embargo. The arms embargo on Darfur was first imposed in 2003 after rebels rose up against Sudan’s government in Khartoum. The government responded with air strikes and a ground offensive by local Arab militias known as the Janjaweed, who have been accused of mass killings and rapes. The conflict that began in 2003 caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and displaced millions. The current conflict, which started in April 2023, has already led to at least 59,000 deaths, with aid groups warning the actual number may be much higher. It has displaced about 13 million people and triggered a severe famine, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. At a council meeting on August 24, the U.S. urged a countrywide arms embargo to push the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces toward negotiations. Evstigneeva questioned why the U.S. was now seeking to expand the embargo, noting that government forces currently have the upper hand, unlike in 2023 when the Rapid Support Forces were threatening the capital, Khartoum, and other cities. She argued that the government is essential for maintaining national unity and protecting civilians. China’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Sun Lei, warned that extending the embargo could worsen the humanitarian situation and risk the country’s fragmentation, which would threaten regional stability. Sudan’s U.N. ambassador, Al-Harith Mohamed, said a total arms embargo contradicts the U.N. Charter’s principles, which guarantee countries the right to self-defense and their armed forces the right to acquire weapons to protect their sovereignty. U.S. deputy ambassador Jeffrey Bartos said a long-term extension of the Darfur embargo is not an option, calling it outdated and insufficient to address the current war. He emphasized the need to sanction individuals responsible for “horrific actions” such as sexual violence, kidnappings, and attacks on aid workers. “Inaction means more suffering and death,” Bartos warned. He reiterated the U.S. call to stop the flow of arms to the belligerents from external sources and condemned attacks on aid convoys, citing a recent aerial attack on World Food Program trucks that destroyed over 50 metric tons of aid. Carl Skau, acting director of the World Food Program, said in an interview that funding shortages have forced the agency to cut the number of people it assists, from 5 million to 3.5 million. He warned that further cuts may be necessary unless more resources are provided. “The world keeps sending weapons when they should be sending food and shelter,” Skau said, emphasizing the need to focus on ending the conflict.