Trump hopes to meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un again as soon as 'this year'
Donald Trump has said he wants to meet North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un “as soon as this year.”
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Speaking during a meeting with new South Korean president Lee Jae Myung at the White House, Mr Trump said: "I'd like to meet him this year... I look forward to meeting with Kim Jong Un in the appropriate future."
Mr Trump had three meetings with Kim Jong Un during his first term, at one point briefly stepping into North Korea during their 2019 summit.
"I'd like to have a meeting. I got along great with him," President Trump said, describing their relationship as “very friendly.”
He added he thinks “he can do something” to reduce tensions between North and South Korea.
Looking back on his meetings with Kim Jung Un, Mr Trump said: “I loved it… remember when I walked across the line and everyone went crazy?”
Despite their many meetings, Mr Trump made very few inroads in lessening tensions between North Korea and the West.
In recent years, North Korea has continued its attempts to build nuclear weapons despite calls for disarmament.
During today’s press conference, Mr Trump also discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Mr Trump declared Russia and Ukraine must resolve the war themselves, despite leading peace efforts in recent weeks.
He also suggested Mr Putin told him he was willing to abolish Russia’s nuclear arsenal during recent face-to-face talks.
"Russia, as of now, says there's no meeting on the books and no agenda set,” Mr Trump said.
"Well, that's going to be up to them.
"It takes two to tango, I always say. And they should meet, I think, before I have a meeting and probably close the deal but I think it's appropriate they meet."
He went on to say there should be “no problem” with European nations providing Ukraine with security guarantees if a deal can be agreed.
"I don't know that they'll meet," he continued.
"Maybe they will, maybe they won't. They'd like me to be at the meeting. I said, 'You guys have to work it out. It's between you.'"
“We'll see what happens over the next week or two."