Russian Official: 1st To Step Back In U.S., North Korea Fight Is 'Smarter'
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) - As tension continues to rise between the U.S. and North Korea, with both sides making threats, China and Russia are trying to cool things down.
Friday morning President Donald Trump took to Twitter to fire his latest salvo at North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
Military solutions are now fully in place,locked and loaded,should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 11, 2017
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On Thursday, President Trump told the media that unlike previous presidents, he will not let North Korea intimidate him.
"They've been doing this to our country for a long time, for many years, and it's about time somebody stuck up for the people of this country and for the people of other countries," he said.
Not to be outdone, North Korea issued its own warning, saying that if the U.S. launches an attack, they will "immediately reduce the U.S. mainland into a field of nuclear war."
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to push China to do more to stop its neighbor and close ally from taking any drastic steps.
"I think China can do a lot more, yes. China can...and I think China will do a lot more," he said.
China delivered a warning to North Korea on Friday, stating that if it strikes the U.S. first, China will stay neutral. Beijing has also called on the U.S. to not take steps to further escalate the tensions in the region.
Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has called on North Korea to stop testing missiles in exchange for the U.S. canceling its military exercises with South Korea.
On Friday, Lavrov expressed his worries about the recent standoff between the United States and North Korea.
"The first one who has to take a step backwards from the dangerous line is the stronger and the smarter one."
The U.S. announced on Friday that it would go ahead with the joint exercises, beginning August 21st. North Korea has always viewed the training as preparation for an invasion.
General Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is headed to Asia next week for talks with China, Japan, and South Korea. The trip was scheduled prior to the latest tensions with the North, but the topic is sure to dominate discussions.