MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia's proposals on the settlement of the North Korean issue remain on the table, as does the plan which the country proposed jointly with China, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said Monday.
“Our position, our calls for calm and diplomatic resolution remain on the table, as does our joint initiative with the Chinese colleagues on the issue. The president spoke of it repeatedly, he mentioned this issue,” Ushakov told reporters.
Moscow has repeatedly called for a diplomatic solution to the North Korean issue and jointly with China proposed the so-called "double freeze" plan in order to settle the situation on the Korean Peninsula. According to the plan, the DPRK should stop nuclear tests, while the US and South Korea should refrain from joint drills. Washington has already refused to implement the plan, while there was no official response from Pyongyang on the issue.
Last week, Trump said that US State Secretary Rex Tillerson is "wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man," adding that "we'll do what has to be done." Most recently, the US president said that "only one thing will work" with regard to Pyongyang as "talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid hasn't worked."
Meanwhile, earlier this week a Russian lawmaker, who has just returned from North Korea, claimed that Pyongyang is ready to test a missile capable of reaching the US western coast. The Pentagon responded by telling Sputnik that it is "closely" watching North Korea.
On September 11, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted its toughest resolution yet against North Korea over its latest nuclear test and repeated missile launches. The move prompted harsh criticism from Pyongyang which subsequently vowed to use any means possible to retaliate against the United States.
