WASHINGTON _ President Donald Trump blamed Russia on Wednesday for helping North Korea evade U.N. sanctions, saying Moscow is mitigating the impact of China's increased efforts to restrict the flow of resources to Kim Jong Un's government.
"Russia is not helping us at all with North Korea," Trump said in an interview with Reuters. "What China is helping us with, Russia is denting. In other words, Russia is making up for some of what China is doing."
Even as Trump credited China for stepping up its efforts, he said Beijing could apply additional pressure on the government in Pyongyang to cease its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
The president's comments came amid signs of increased cooperation between North and South Korea, which is hosting the Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang starting Feb. 9.
The longtime adversaries have agreed to allow their athletes to march together in the opening ceremony and to jointly field a women's hockey team.
Trump expressed increased concerns over North Korea's nuclear progress, saying "they get closer every day," as well as doubts about the prospects for diplomacy.
"I'd sit down, but I'm not sure that sitting down will solve the problem," he told Reuters.
