Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned President Donald Trump and the United States that pushing North Korea’s buttons with “offensive rhetoric” is likely not a good idea, and that the nations are now “balanced on the verge of a large-scale conflict.”

Putin wrote an article that was published on the Kremlin’s website, according to Reuters, in which he said he would favor negotiations with North Korea, rather than the U.S., as the United States continues to pressure Pyongyang to halt its nuclear missile program.

“It is essential to resolve the region’s problems through direct dialogue involving all sides without advancing any preconditions (for such talks),” Putin wrote, Reuters reported. “Provocations, pressure, and bellicose and offensive rhetoric is the road to nowhere.”

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Putin added that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is now “balanced on the verge of a large-scale conflict,” Reuters said.

The U.S. recently held a mock bombing and dropped bombs near North Korea’s border in a show of force, following the missile North Korea fired over Japan that might have been intended for Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific.

Kim Jong Un vowed there would be more missile tests, despite multiple U.S. warnings from various officials, including President Trump and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

President Trump tweeted on Aug. 30 that “talking is not the answer” when it comes to dealing with North Korea.

On Monday, North Korea launched what is believed to have been an intermediate-range Hwasong-12 missile that flew over Hokkaido Island, in Japan.

The missile landed in the Pacific Ocean, and officials later said that the U.S. territory of Guam had not been in danger of being in range of the missile.

The missile was characterized as the “most provocative missile test in a very long time, perhaps ever,” BBC News said.

North Korea also fired three missiles on Saturday, local time.

[revad2]