Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied the U.S. was in a trade war Friday as he wrapped up his trip to a meeting of top diplomats from the G7 industrialized democracies.

Top diplomats from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies are jointly expressing support for Ukraine and a U.S. ceasefire proposal in the three-year-old war.

The Group of Seven (G7) economically developed Western democracies has after lengthy talks agreed on a common position on the US course towards securing a ceasefire in Ukraine. "All these seven foreign ministers agree with the US proposal of a ceasefire that is supported by Ukrainians,

North Korea's Foreign Ministry said that its "nuclear armed forces will exist forever as a powerful means of justice," according to state media.

North Korea on Monday vowed to "steadily update and strengthen" its nuclear arsenal, rejecting a joint statement by the Group of Seven Foreign Ministers calling for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear ambitions.

North Korea on Monday denounced the top diplomats of the Group of 7 (G7) countries' joint call for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons, threatening to strengthen its nuclear forces both in "quality and quantity.