President Trump said the U.S. has begun talking with North Korea "directly," ahead of an intended U.S.-North Korea summit. Mr. Trump made the comments in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Tuesday.

"We've also started talking to North Korea directly. We have had direct talks at very high levels, extremely high levels, with North Korea," Mr. Trump said. "I really believe there is a lot of good will, good things are happening — we'll see what happens."

"I look forward to meeting with Kim Jong Un," said Mr. Trump, adding that North Korea respects the U.S. - and "we are respectful of them."

The Trump-Abe meeting also comes ahead of an anticipated meeting between North Korea and South Korea, as the Koreas are reportedly set to declare an official end to their war. Mr. Trump said the Koreas have his "blessing" to discuss an end to war.

"North Korea is coming along," Mr. Trump said. "South Korea is meeting and has plans to meet to see if they can end the war and they have my blessing on that. They've been very generous ... without us and without me in particular, I guess, they wouldn't be discussing anything and the Olympics would have been a failure."

 

Icmal.Az