Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and US President Donald Trump talked for half an hour on Wednesday in a phone call described as "warm and constructive" and dominated by the ongoing crisis surrounding North Korea's growing nuclear weapons capability.

Mr Trump has held discussions with key allies in recent days as the world considers further sanctions against Kim Jong-un's regime after it conducted its sixth and largest nuclear bomb test to date on Sunday. The detonation followed a series of missile tests that have rapidly raised tensions in the region.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin has blasted an American and South Korean push for fresh sanctions, calling them "ineffective" and arguing the North Korean regime would rather "eat grass" than bow to outside pressure. US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said this week the North Korean leader was "begging for war".

Not taking a backward step, North Korea has warned it is ready to send "more gift packages" to the US.