Russian Foreign Minister meets Kim in Pyongyang

ANI  |  Pyongyang [North Korea] 

Russian Sergei met with North Korean leader here on Thursday.

Prior to this meeting, met his North Korean counterpart

The foreign ministers of both the countries discussed the current situation on the and denuclearisation, reported.

After the meeting with Ri, Lavrov told reporters that advocated the "phased lifting" of the sanctions imposed on North and called for the achievement of denuclearisation of the

"As we start discussions on how to resolve the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula, it is understood that the solution cannot be comprehensive without the lifting of sanctions," Lavrov said according to state news agency

During his visit to Pyongyang, Lavrov laid a floral wreath to the statues of Kim's father and grandfather, and

Lavrov's visit to North comes after arrived in on Wednesday, becoming the most from North to touch American soil since 2000 and met US to discuss the probable summit between Trump and Kim, tentatively scheduled for June 12.

At a 90-minute working dinner, the two leaders deliberated on whether the two sides can conduct the summit on dismantling the North's nuclear weapons program in exchange for concessions.

"Good working dinner with in tonight. Steak, corn, and cheese on the menu," Pompeo tweeted post the meeting.

Pompeo on Thursday said could see a brighter future only if it advocated the path of denuclearisation and gave up its nuclear weapons. He said the US saw a vision of a "strong and prosperous"

Pompeo further said that "real progress" was being made in regards to the meeting between Kim and US and that both the US and were moving on in the right direction.

Last week, Trump had said the much-anticipated US-North Korea summit that was scheduled to be held on June 12 in was cancelled.

He blamed the 'hostility' and anger displayed by North Korea regarding the US-Max military drills for calling off the summit.

A few days later, Pompeo said that even after Trump called off the summit with Kim, was willing to continue its efforts to have a dialogue with North Korea.

Since then, officials from both sides are putting in efforts to make the summit happen.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Fri, June 01 2018. 07:54 IST