Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to help keep pressure on North Korea... until it dismantles its nuclear weapons program.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said... the two leaders spent a good amount of time discussing North Korea over the phone,... adding that the two sides reaffirmed their commitment and shared goal toward denuclearization.
She said that Trump stressed the importance of Russia's role in pressuring Pyeongyang.
The Kremlin meanwhile said... that Putin called on Trump to reduce sanctions against the reclusive regime... in tandem with the North's denuclearization efforts.
The latest phone talks come... after Putin's first summit with Kim Jong-un last week.
The meeting was widely regarded as part of Pyeongyang's push... to secure sanctions relief from other major powers... following the breakdown of the Hanoi summit.