Russia supports US, North Korean leaders’ commitment to continuing dialogue - diplomat

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Moscow supports Washington’s and Pyongyang’s commitment to maintaining dialogue, which should be coupled with practical steps to meet each other halfway, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday. "We view US President Donald Trump’s and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s commitment to continuing the US-North Korean dialogue in a positive light. We are certain that it should be reinforced by real practical steps to meet each other halfway and develop on the basis of compromise approaches with a focus on creating an atmosphere of trust," the diplomat stressed. According to Zakharova, Moscow believes "it is very important to retain the positive dynamics of the political and diplomatic processes in the subregion in line with the well-known Russian-Chinese initiatives." "In view of that, we reaffirm Russia’s commitment to strengthening multilateral cooperation with all parties concerned and pooling efforts for the benefit of a comprehensive settlement of the situation on the Korean Peninsula," she pointed out. The second US-North Korean summit was held in Hanoi on February 27-28. The North Korean leader said in the run-up to the event that Pyongyang and Washington were overcoming mistrust and problems together, while the US president promised to realize North Korea’s unlimited economic potential. The two leaders were expected to sign a declaration following the meeting. However, the summit ended ahead of schedule. The parties failed to reach a consensus but agreed to continue dialogue. The final declaration was not signed. Read more