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Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of the Russian Senate upper house, is set to discuss the concerns surrounding Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes in separate meetings with the deputy head of North Korea's legislature and the head of South Korea's parliament on Monday. The representatives from Pyongyang and Seoul will be in St Petersburg for a congress of parliamentarians and with Russia among those countries calling for a reduction in tensions following North Korea’s recent threats, the congress provides a good opportunity for Russia to try to make some progress in quelling fears of war. Konstantin Kosachev, head of the Senate's international relations committee, told Russia media: "I believe that during the meetings the Russian side will call [on North and South Korea] to hold direct contacts. “This would be quite natural, but of course we cannot, and should not, force anyone to do so.”

GETTY Tensions between North and South Korea are concerning Russia and China

The increasing number of nuclear tests and missile launches conducted by North Korea has prompted widespread condemnation - but the international community have so far failed to agree on the best way to reduce tensions. Several rounds of UN sanctions have been imposed on the hermit state in response to the tests but the world’s superpowers continue to disagree on the best way to proceed. US President Donald Trump has been embroiled in an exchange of threats and insults with Pyongyang, which has prompted China and Russia to call for dialogue in a bid to stop war breaking out.

GETTY The DMZ separates North & South Korea and is one of the most fiercely guarded borders in the world

Earlier this week, North Korea's foreign minister has accused President Trump of lighting "the wick of war" with his repeated insults and threats. Ri Yong Ho, Pyongyang's foreign minister, hit out at the US President and said the tensions will not be settled with words. He said: "With his bellicose and insane statement at the United Nations, Trump, you can say, has lit the wick of a war against us. "We need to settle the final score, only with a hail of fire, not words."

Putin's troops amass on North Korea border Thu, September 28, 2017 Photos captured some of the troops patrolling the top of Zaozyonara Hill, a meeting point between Russia, North Korea and China Play slideshow Yuri Smityuk/TASS 1 of 9 Russian border guards on patrol on the top of Zaozyornaya Hill at the Khasan crossing point on the Russian-North Korean border in the tri-border area where the boundaries of Russia, China and North Korea meet