Russia responded directly to the mounting war of words between the U.S. and North Korea Friday, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying that the wiser and stronger will make the first move to de-escalate tensions.
"I think that when things are coming almost to a fight, then the one who must step away from the hazardous line is the one that is stronger and smarter," Lavrov said when speaking about tensions on the Korean peninsula during his speech at the Terra Scientia youth forum, according to state news agency Tass. "We will keep hoping."
Related: Russia's air defenses are on high alert because of North Korea, senator warns
"Unfortunately the rhetoric in Washington and Pyongyang is starting to go off the charts," Lavrov said. "We nonetheless trust that sound reason will prevail. You know our position—we will not accept a nuclear North Korea. Together with China, we have a whole host of suggestions aimed at not allowing a wider conflict there with a large casualty count."
He continued, "I think that the risk [of conflict] is very high. Especially considering this rhetoric: direct threats to use force."
Lavrov did not elaborate on Russia's joint plan with China, though the pair's position on North Korea has long consisted of formally voicing opposition to North Korea's nuclear ambitions but also against U.S. military support for its allies in the region.
After North Korea's fresh declaration of better nuclear capabilities, Russia and China backed U.S. sanctions on the regime last week. The combative rhetoric between President Donald Trump and the North Korean establishment stemmed from reports that Pyongyang had successfully managed to miniaturize a missile, and its stated ability to fire intermediate-range nuclear missiles at Guam—a U.S. Pacific territory. Trump interrupted his vacation Tuesday to threaten "fire and fury" in response to North Korean provocations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit next month, when the pair will discuss North Korea. Despite Moscow's repeated claims that the two countries have a robust strategy that would de-escalate tensions diplomatically, major initiatives beyond similar lip service are not expected.
"So far, nothing indicates that Moscow and Beijing will try to craft a new strategy towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea beyond what was said during their meeting in early July," Alexander Gabuev, chair of Russia in the Asia-Pacific Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told Newsweek earlier this week.
"Russia doesn't have that much skin in the game and [or] many tools to influence the situation, so the Kremlin is comfortable following China's lead," he added.
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