Putin, Macron say negotiation only way to defuse North Korea tensions

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron agreed in a phone call on Friday that resuming direct talks with North Korea is the only way to resolve tensions over its nuclear programme.

In a statement, the Kremlin said the two leaders "were united in the opinion that it was unacceptable to allow an escalation of tension."

The crisis needs to be resolved "exclusively through political and diplomatic means, by restarting direct negotiations," they said.

Both Putin and Macron "decisively condemned the provocative" firing by North Korea of a ballistic missile on Friday over Japan and into the Pacific, the statement said.  

Macron's office said the two leaders "underscored the importance of Russia's role in this crisis for a united and strong response by the international community."

The latest launch came days after the UN slapped new sanctions on Pyongyang following its sixth nuclear test earlier this month.

The Kremlin statement said that during Putin's discussion with Macron "it was underlined that an adequate response to Pyongyang's irresponsible steps was taken" by the UN.

French foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnes Romatet-Espagne stressed the importance of sanctions against North Korea.

"In the face of this threat, France is ready to work, notably within the UN Security Council and the European Union, to strengthen measures aimed at convincing the Pyongyang regime that it has no interest in escalation, and to bring it to the negotiating table," she said.

Russia backed the new UN sanctions against North Korea on Monday, banning it from trading in textiles and restricting oil imports.

But Moscow refused to support tougher measures like an oil embargo and Washington had to soften its stance in order to secure the support of Russia and China, the North's strongest backers.