Russia Warns US Against Escalation of Tensions over North Korean Nuclear Program

"It is sad that this powerful element of demands for further pressure on Pyongyang has once again appeared in the American position," Ryabkov told Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency on Saturday.

"It is high time to stop this race of threats, pressure, blackmail and presentation of preconditions and shift to a real search for a political solution," he added.

Ryabkov argued that efforts by both Pyongyang and Washington to set preconditions for nuclear talks involved a "risk of uncontrolled escalation."

During the Friday session of the UN Security Council, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson backed away from Washington’s earlier offer of unconditional talks with Pyongyang.

On the same day, US President Donald Trump complained that "Russia is not helping" to put pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program.

Ryabkov noted that "after the UN Security Council session and speeches by senior representatives of Western countries, we got the impression that the logic of pressure is the dominant one in their approach,” warning that the status quo was "extremely dangerous."

"We would not like to end up in a situation where despite all the efforts by Russia and North Korea and by our two countries jointly, yet another spiral of confrontation begins," he stressed.

The Russian diplomat called for "openness and dialogue from both Pyongyang and Washington, mutual restraint and an aim to work out a starting point for a diplomatic step forward."

China and Russia, North Korea’s main allies, stressed that sanctions will not force North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to increase diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.

Tensions have been building on the peninsula following a series of nuclear and missile tests by Pyongyang as well as threats of war and personal insults traded between US President and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

In 2017, North Korea carried out 20 ballistic missile launches, while the United States and its allies, for their part, are constantly conducting far-reaching sea drills in the region. The parties are exchanging tough rhetoric and admit that any scenario - including military action - is possible.

North Korea has been under a raft of crippling United Nations sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear tests as well as multiple rocket and missile launches.

Pyongyang has firmly defended its military program as a deterrent against the hostile policies of the US and its regional allies, including South Korea and Japan.

US President has vowed to impose additional "major sanctions" against North Korea.

Washington has thousands of troops in the region, partially in South Korea and Japan, and routinely threatens the North with military action to stop its weapons program.