Amid increasing tensions between the United States and North Korea over the latter's nuclear missile programmes, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the issues should be sorted out through a dialogue between the two countries. Russia is known to be an ally of North Korea.
The Russian president posted an article on Kremlin's official website, in which he said that the US must not pressurize North Korea to give up its nuclear programme and warned that the two nations were "on the brink of a large-scale conflict." Putin went on to explain that urging Pyongyang to let go of the programme makes no sense as it is "misguided and futile."
"The region's problems should only be settled through a direct dialogue of all the parties concerned without any preconditions. Provocations, pressure and militarist and insulting rhetoric are a dead-end road," Putin added.
While Pyongyang has on and off been testing ballistic missiles and getting rapped for it, tensions flared after its latest missile was launched over Japan, which is a US ally. Adding to this, North Korean state media Korean Central News Agency threatened to land missiles near the American territory of Guam.
US President Donald Trump reacted soon after Pyongyang's statement and said that now "all options were on the table."
"The world has received North Korea's latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior," Trump said in a statement released by the White House.
Later, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also spoke in support of the US and said that if the country ever goes to war with North Korea, Australia would back it. "If North Korea were to attack the United States, as they often threaten to do, there would be a conflict which would be a suicide note from North Korea's point of view," News.com.au quoted him as saying.
"Kim Jong-un is playing a game of very, very dangerous brinkmanship."
North Korea, which has already been slapped with numerous sanctions due to its nuclear programme and missile tests, perceives the US and South Korea's equation and its military exercises as a potential threat.
In the article, the Russian president also spoke about how the nation intends to promote economic cooperation among the BRICS -- Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – nations.
"Russia stands for strengthening the BRICS countries' partnership in politics, the economy, culture and other areas. We are ready to continue working jointly with our colleagues to promote democracy and to strengthen the healthy elements of international relations based firmly on international law," he added.
Putin is set to attend the BRICS Summit from September 3 to 5 in the Chinese city of Xiamen.
