Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to visit North Korea on Thursday to discuss nuclear stand-off and bilateral ties
He was invited by North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong-ho, and his visit comes amid preparations for a high-stakes summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit North Korea on Thursday at the invitation of counterpart Ri Yong-ho, according to the reclusive nation’s state news agency.
“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s official visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will take place on May 31,” the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
It said Lavrov and the North’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ri will discuss the reclusive state’s nuclear programme, bilateral cooperation and other key international problems during the meeting.
Lavrov later confirmed the meeting, saying it would help him understand North Korea’s position on the nuclear settlement.
“It will be very useful for me to understand how our North Korean neighbours relate to all issues [concerning the situation on the Korean peninsula],” Lavrov was quoted as saying by TASS.
It’s the second time in as many months that the pair will meet, after Ri flew to Moscow in May for talks with the Russian foreign minister. Lavrov at the time floated the possibility of a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sometime in the future.