Assad to meet Kim in North Korea: report

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is preparing to visit North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the capital Pyongyang, the country's state news agency KCNA reported on Sunday.

The visit from Assad would signify the first world leader to meet the North Korean leader in the capital, as President Trump is due meet Kim in Singapore on June 12.

Assad met with North Korea's ambassador to Syria, who reportedly passed along Kim's credentials in preparation for their meeting, though a date for the visit has not yet been specified.

"The world welcomes the remarkable events in the Korean peninsula brought about recently by the outstanding political caliber and wise leadership of HE (His Excellency) Kim Jong Un," Assad said according to CNN.

"I am sure that he will achieve the final victory and realize the reunification of Korea without fail," Assad added, reportedly expressing his full support for Kim and "all [his] policies and measures."

The two have enjoyed warm relations and military cooperation, with North Korea suspected of supplying Syria with various weapons.

The announcement comes amid potential rapprochement with the rest of the world following Kim's recent meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and talks of denuclearization.

Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Kim in Pyongyang, the first Russian official to be receive by HE.

The historic summit to be held on June 12 between Trump and Kim had been on shaky ground due to diplomatic strife between the two nations' leaders. But on Friday following a visit from Kim Yong Chol -- Kim's right-hand general and the highest-ranking official to visit the US in nearly twenty years -- Trump confirmed the summit was back on.

While admitting that dealing with North Korea was "going to be a process," Trump said he believed that process would ultimately be "successful."

Trump said the letter from Kim, hand-delivered by Kim Yong Chol, was "very nice" and "very interesting" -- but then said he had not opened it yet.

Nevertheless, the US president had warm words for Pyongyang, saying the long discussions had touched on North Korea's denuclearization and economic development.

Trump indicated that the campaign of "maximum pressure" was at least on hold, vowing no new sanctions while talks are ongoing.

"The relationships are building and that's very positive," he said.

In a move that is sure to worry US allies in Japan and South Korea, Trump also said that he and his guest had discussed US troop numbers on the Korean peninsula.

"We talked about almost everything. We talked about a lot. And we talked about sanctions," he said.