Putin to AP: North Korea Is One Launch Away From a Global Cataclysm Due to US Reneging on Their Word

Kate de Pury, Associated Press: I'll ask my question in English if I might. The US wants Russia to do more to persuade North Korea to curtail its missile programs Does Russia support stricter sanctions against North Korea? Do you think the cooperation with North Korea could warm up Russian relations with the US under Trump? Thank you.

 

Vladimir Putin: You're some curious folks, I'll give you that. Have you paid attention to your congressmen and senators? They're so well-dressed. They seem to be smart people. They've placed us on par with North Korea and Iran. And at the same time, they're pushing Trump to persuade us to cooperate in solving the nuclear crises in North Korea and Iran. You OK there? It seems plain weird to me. It's beyond common sense. But our policy, unlike the policy of some other countries always retains its initial course. We're trying to cooperate with everybody on the acutest issues of the international security. We try not to get offended, we don't hold the grudge when some country makes a questionable decision. But our position on North Korea is well known. We don't acknowledge the nuclear status of North Korea. We consider everything that's happening there to be counterproductive. I'd like to remind you In 2005, North Korea signed an agreement on stopping its nuclear program. North Korea took certain responsibilities. Everyone gladly signed these agreements. And several months later, it occurred to the US that these agreements weren't enough. They instantly seized the accounts of the North Korean banks and said North Korea had to do something more. Beyond the signed agreements. North Korea said "screw this", terminated the agreements and continued to develop its nuclear program. Why did you do this? Did you think it wasn't enough? Why did you sign the initial agreements then? You provoked North Korea to terminate them. And then even worse: Libya, Iraq. I've addressed the issue multiple times. North Korea sees no way to survive other than by developing the weapons of mass destruction and missiles. They've recently developed a missile that could reach the US territory. From the look of it. The situation's awful. We think that both sides need to stop provoking each other. Our American partners have said", all right, we'll stop the drills". Nope. Here they go conducting another one. And North Korea launched another missile. This spiral must be finished. The situation's extremely dangerous. We've discussed it with our US partners. If we assume the US would deliver strikes the conventional ones the precise non-nuclear strikes where would they hit? Does CIA or DIA know exactly what targets to strike? With one shot? Of course no, North Korea is a closed state. You might know something, but not everything. And North Korea is one launch away from a global cataclysm. A cataclysm! Yes, the US has resorted to nuclear weapons once against Japan. Without a reasonable basis, if you ask me. But now there's absolutely no need. One must be really careful. Today, Mr. Tillerson said that the US is ready for a direct contact. That's great news. That's great news. It means that the US authorities and the State Department are beginning to realize what's going on in the world. I hope together with the DIA and Pentagon they'll apply common sense and act accordingly. In that case, we'll gladly cooperate with the US on all such issues including North Korea.