Russian President Vladimir Putin refrained from making any criticism of President Trump at a news conference on Tuesday. Putin also condemned North Korea's latest nuclear test but warned against using military force against the country, calling it a "road to nowhere" that could lead to a "global catastrophe." During the news conference, Putin dismissed a question on whether he was disappointed in Trump as "naive." In comments carried by Russian news agencies, Putin said Trump is "not my bride, and I'm not his groom," the AP reports. Asked how Russia would feel if Trump were impeached, Putin said it would be "absolutely wrong" for Russia to discuss domestic US politics.
On North Korea, Putin said that Russia condemns Pyongyang's nuclear test as "provocative," but he stopped short of expressing willingness to impose more sanctions, saying Moscow views 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." 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." (More Vladimir Putin stories.)