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The pair discussed bilateral relations and the situation in the Korean Peninsula during a telephone call, the Kremlin said in a statement this evening. The White House added that both “discussed working together to resolve the very dangerous situation in North Korea”. Trump also reportedly thanked his Russian counterpart “for acknowledging America’s strong economic performance in his annual press conference,” Both leaders agreed to continue contacts, the Kremlin added but did not provide further details.

The pair last spoke by phone last month following a Brief meeting in Vietnam. Donald Trump’s administration has been plagued by ongoing investigations into ties he had with Russia during his campaign that ultimately saw him defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. During his annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow, Mr President Putin claimed that he could see “a number of fairly serious achievements over the short period” Trump has been in office. He added that the Republican firebrand's moves indicated “investor confidence in the American economy, which means that they trust what President Trump is doing in this area."

GETTY Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have discussed North Korea over the phone

When turning to the matter of North Korea, Putin rebuked the moves of the Trump administration in the region. He declared: "I don't want to offend anybody but far as North Korea is concerned, we believe that what is happening now is counterproductive.” Despite the military perseverance shown by North Korea, the Russian leader claimed that he does not accept Kim Jong-un’s communist regime as a nuclear state.

'Donald Trump' and 'Kim Jong-un' face-off amid North Korea nuclear threat Sun, November 19, 2017 About 700 demonstrators protested in Berlin, Germany against the current escalation of threat of nuclear attack between the United States of America and North Korea Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 10 An activist pretends to punch another wearing a mask of U.S. President Donald Trump next to a model of a nuclear rocket

GETTY The pair discussed bilateral relations and the situation in the Korean Peninsula

GETTY The Russian leader claimed that he does not accept Kim Jong-un’s communist regime as a nuclear state