MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Monday for the United States and North Korea to start negotiations, the RIA news agency reported.
Lavrov was cited as saying that Russia was ready to facilitate such negotiations.
Moscow has long called for Washington and Pyongyang to hold talks aimed at de-escalating tensions around North Korea鈥檚 nuclear and missile program.
North Korea鈥檚 foreign ministry said on Sunday that the latest UN sanctions against North Korea were an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade against it.