Trump, Putin discuss N Korea over phone

United States President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have discussed the bilateral ties and increasing tensions on the Korean peninsula, over a telephonic conversation.

"On the US initiative, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump have held a phone conversation. Acute issues of bilateral relations, as well as the situation in crisis hotspots worldwide were discussed, with an emphasis placed on settling the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue," the Russian news agency TASS reported, citing the press service as saying in a statement.

Trump also used the call to thank Putin for "acknowledging America's strong economic performance in his annual press conference."

Putin, earlier in the day, during his annual press conference, praised the progress made by the Trump administration.

Putin remarked on the booming US stock market, which is a regular Trump talking point, and said that it was a sign that investors "trust in what President Trump has been doing in this field", according to the reports.

The two leaders last spoke on phone in mid-November.