Putin hopes for progress in settlement on Korean Peninsula

MOSCOW, July 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes for progress in the settlement on the Korean Peninsula, including through US President Donald Trump’s efforts. "We expect that the positive trends that appeared, including thanks to President Trump’s contribution, will continue to develop," the Russian head of state said at a meeting of Russian ambassadors and permanent representatives. Putin expressed his satisfaction that Moscow and Beijing’s ideas were used in the settlement on the Korean Peninsula. "Russia has always offered solutions based on joint efforts and dialogue for the Korean Peninsula. A plan for the gradual normalization of the situation was developed together with the People’s Republic of China. It is good that its ideas found application and that the sides sat down for talks, evinced mutual respect and abandoned activities which could have irreparable effects," the Russian leader stressed. On June 12, the first-ever top-level meeting between the US and North Korea was held in Singapore. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un then made a joint statement, in which Pyongyang declared the intention to completely denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, and the US obliged to provide security guarantees to North Korea in response. Following the Russia-US summit held on July 16 in Helsinki, Putin reported that the North Korean issue was discussed at these negotiations. Trump "did much for the settlement" of the situation on North Korea, he said. "International guarantees will be definitely needed to achieve the total denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and Russia is ready to contribute as much as will be necessary," the Russian president noted. Read more