Russia Sees its Agreements with North Korea as Deterrent — Putin

The Russian leader noted the treaty between Russia and North Korea was almost identical to the bilateral pact that had previously expired

© Kristina Kormilitsyna/POOL/TASS

HANOI, June 20. /TASS/. Moscow expects that its agreements with Pyongyang will deter the crisis in the Korean Peninsula from escalating into a hot phase, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters.

"The Korean crisis is a simmering crisis. But we assume and hope that our agreements with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will serve as a deterrent to a certain extent to prevent this crisis from escalating into a hot phase," he said.

Putin said the treaty between Russia and North Korea is almost identical to the bilateral pact that previously expired.

"So, there is nothing new here," the president said.

When asked why North Korean leader Kim Jong Un decided to sign the treaty when an "undeclared war is being waged against Russia," Putin replied: "You ask him that.".