MOSCOW, RUSSIA (REUTERS) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (Dec 14) that a strike on North Korea by the United States would have "catastrophic" consequences and that he hoped to work with Washington to eventually resolve the crisis on the Korean peninsula.

Russia does not accept North Korea's nuclear status, Putin told an annual news conference. But he also said that some of Washington's past actions had provoked North Korea into violating a 2005 agreement to curb its nuclear program.

"We believe the two sides should now stop aggravating the situation," Putin said.