North Korean denuclearization is “off the table” for Russia due to U.S. efforts to build a trilateral “nuclear alliance” with South Korea and Japan, Moscow’s top diplomat said Thursday, with an expert warning that the remarks set a dangerous precedent for the global nonproliferation regime.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement came after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reportedly adopted a resolution on the DPRK’s nuclear activities on Sept. 19.