MOSCOW. Dec 14 (Interfax) - Russia does not recognize the nuclear status of North Korea and considers everything happening there to be counterproductive, President Vladimir Putin said at his annual press conference on Thursday.
"As for North Korea, our stance is well known. We do not recognize the nuclear status of North Korea," Putin said.
"We believe that everything that is happening there is counterproductive," he said.
An Associated Press journalist asked Putin whether cooperation with Russia over North Korea situation could help unfreeze Russia-U.S. relations.
"You guys are so interesting. Have you noticed that your Congressmen, Senators, who look so fine and beautiful in their shirts and suits and who seem to be smart people, have equated us with North Korea and Iran but keep pushing the president [Donald Trump] to persuade us to solve the problems of North Korea and the Iranian nuclear program together with you?" Putin said.
"Are you people crazy or what? Do agree, the whole thing is strange. This goes beyond common sense," he said.
Russian policy "is mostly conducted irrespective of the current political context," Putin said. "We are trying to work constructively with everyone on the most pressing issues of global security. We are trying not to pout and not to bear grudges for decisions we sometimes do not understand," Putin said.