U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed countries breaking sanctions, telling Fox News that the restrictions on North Korea remained effective.

The comments come following a U.S. report to the UN which claimed that North Korea continued to violate international sanctions aimed at limiting the DPRK’s oil imports.

“Everybody tries to break sanctions, but the sanctions are hurting them badly … We never took the sanctions off,” Trump said.

The U.S. president also reiterated that relations with Pyongyang had improved, citing the lack of nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missiles tests.

“You don’t see that now. You don’t see it now. We’re in