U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed the need for the two Koreas to boost exchanges and cooperation as well as resume dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Ban made the call during an interview with Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency on Tuesday at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

He said the two Koreas can build mutual trust via dialogue, which would lead to eased tensions on the Korean Peninsula and play a pivotal role in establishing mutually-beneficial relations.

Ban said the six-way nuclear talks need to discuss ways to implement a joint statement on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

The U.N. chief is scheduled to visit Ukraine and Russia next week ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.