Putin Warns North Korea Situation Is on the Verge of a ‘Large-Scale Conflict’

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaks during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7, 2017. Following the meeting, the U.S., Russia, and Jordan announced a ceasefire agreement for the southwestern portion of Syria to take effect on Sunday. MIKHAIL KLIMENTIEV/AFP/Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Friday that the tense standoff between North Korea and the United States was on the verge of large-scale conflict and said it was a mistake to try to pressure Pyongyang over its nuclear missile programme.

Putin, who is due to attend a summit of the BRICS nations in China next week, wrote in an article published on the Kremlin’s web site ahead of his trip that he favoured negotiations with North Korea instead.

North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un (left), standing next to intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) Hwasong-12 prior to launch screenshot