Russian Lawmakers in North Korea During ICBM Test Say Pyongyang ‘Morally Ready’ for War

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as they attend a ceremony for Russia's Navy Day in Saint Petersburg on July 30, 2017. Russia has tried to position itself as a key player in the North Korean nuclear crisis. ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/AFP/Getty Images

Russian lawmakers claim North Korea is ready for war and only the Kremlin can negotiate a peace deal.

China may be North Korea’s critical trading partner, but as the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula has unfolded, Russia has strengthened ties with the communist regime, even echoing North Korean propaganda.