Putin plugging engagement on N. Korea

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday condemned North Korea’s latest nuclear test but also warned against using military force against the country, calling it a “road to nowhere” that could lead to a “global catastrophe.”

Russia condemns North Korea’s nuclear test as “provocative,” Putin said at a televised news conference in China. But he stopped short of expressing willingness to impose more sanctions on North Korea, saying Moscow viewed them as “useless and ineffective.”

Putin said North Korea’s neighbors should engage with it, not whip up “military hysteria.”

“It’s a road to nowhere. Whipping up military hysteria, this will lead to no good,” he said. “It could cause a global catastrophe and an enormous loss of life.”

On Sunday, North Korea conducted its most powerful nuclear test to date, triggering warnings from the United States of a “massive military response.”

Rattled by the test, South Korea on Tuesday conducted live-fire exercises at sea in its second straight day of military displays.

The Russian president, who was in China for a summit of leading emerging economies, told reporters that he had remarked to one of his counterparts at the talks that North Korea “will eat grass but will not give up the (nuclear) program if they don’t feel safe.”

Putin said it was important that all parties affected by the crisis, including North Korea, not face “threats of annihilation” and “step on the path of cooperation.”

Russia’s United Nations ambassador echoed Putin’s remarks later in the day.

Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Russia takes the position that sanctions against North Korea aren’t working and wants a new U.N. resolution on North Korea to focus more on a political solution.