US President Donald Trump famously declared he had “largely solved” the problem of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. But Kim Jong-un seems determined to reignite the “fire and fury” of an international crisis.

Kim Jong-un has condemned South Korean-US military drills while touring his most advanced warship fitted with nuclear-capable systems. North Korea's leader vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces to counter rivals, state media reported on Tuesday (August 19).

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un demands nuclear buildup after calling joint U.S.-South Korea military drills an expression of will to "provoke war."

Volodin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, conveyed greetings from the Russian leader and thanked Kim for North Korea's support of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. Putin held a phone call with Kim on Tuesday and updated him on planned talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday.