Live updates: North Korean leader and US president meet at landmark summit in Singapore.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have met in Singapore.

Here are all the latest developments:

NATO welcomes US-North Korea summit, backs denuclearised peninsula

NATO has applauded President Donald Trump’s meeting in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a historic summit.

Jens Stoltenberg, the military alliance’s secretary general, called for a Korean peninsula free from nuclear weapons.

“NATO welcomes the historic summit. NATO strongly supports all efforts leading towards the eventual denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,” Stoltenberg said.

Japan’s Abe lauds Kim denuclearisation pledge

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has praised Kim’s promise to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons.

“There is great meaning in chairman Kim’s clearly confirming to President Trump the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula,” Abe told reporters after speaking to the US president about the historic US-North Korea summit in Singapore.

Abe also said they would require the strong support of the US to resolve the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea.

UN boss urges support for US-North Korea agreement

Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, called on the international community to offer support on carrying out the agreement on steps toward denuclearisation between the United States and North Korea.

“Implementing today’s and previous agreements reached, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, will require patience and support from the global community,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Al Jazeera’s James Bays on the significance of the deal

Our correspondent says the agreement between the US is significant but should not be considered a comprehensive deal

You can read his full article here.

South Korea wants clarity after Trump comments

The presidential office said on Tuesday that it needs to seek clarity on US President Donald Trump’s intentions are after he said Washington will stop joint military exercises.

Trump made the remarks after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore.

“At this point, we need to find out the precise meaning or intentions of President Trump’s remarks,” a spokesman said.

US military forces have not received directions to stop joint drills

A spokesperson made the remarks after Trump said war games would be ended.

“In coordination with our ROK partners, we will continue with our current military posture until we receive updated guidance from the Department of Defense (DoD) and/or Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM),” said Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Lovett.

S Korea’s Moon vows to write ‘new history’ with N Korea

South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed to write a “new history” with North Korea, praising North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s decision to hold a summit with the US in Singapore.

“Leaving dark days of war and conflict behind, we will write a new chapter of peace and cooperation,” Moon said in a statement released by his office. “We will be there together with North Korea along the way.”

Russia: ‘Devil in the detail’

Russia has a positive assessment of the deal between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but “the devil is in the detail”, TASS news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Tuesday.

“Now, we can only welcome the fact that an important step forward has been made. Of course, the devil is in the detail, and we have yet to delve into specifics. But the impulse, as far as we understand, has been given,” Ryabkov said.

Russia is ready to assist in implementing the deal – to work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula – and hopes settling the nuclear crisis will unblock normal economic cooperation, RIA news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying.

He also said Moscow hoped that six-party talks – a negotiation format involving the two Koreas, the United States, Russia, Japan and China – will at some point become relevant again, according to TASS.

Iran warns Kim Trump might nullify deal

The Iranian government has warned North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that US President Donald Trump could nullify a nuclear deal with North Korea.

“We are facing a man who revokes his signature while abroad,” the Fars news agency quoted government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht as saying.

Last week, Trump withdrew his backing for a joint G7 statement en route to Singapore after he was enraged by statements by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Trump press conference ends

US President Donald Trump has wrapped up the press conference. He is expected to fly back to the US in a few hours time.

Speaking about the criticism that the joint statement is “thin on detail”, Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett said, “I don’t think anyone listening to this last hour has a better understanding of that.” She added that the president emphasised that a lot that was agreed to was not reflected in the signed agreement.

Speaking from Seoul, Al Jazeera’s Wayne Hay said Trump “has some explaining to do” to President Moon Jae-in about his announcement that the US would pull out of war games with South Korea. “It seems that there was no discussion about this, as far as we know, publicly anyway,” Hay said. During the conference, Trump said he would call Moon afterwards.

White House releases Kim-Trump statement

The White House has released the full text of the joint statement signed by US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Here’s the full text:

“President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) held a first, historic summit in Singapore on June 12, 2018.

President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un conducted a comprehensive, in-depth, and sincere exchange of opinions on the issues related to the establishment of new U.S.–DPRK relations and the building of a lasting and robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Convinced that the establishment of new U.S.–DPRK relations will contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and of the world, and recognizing that mutual confidence building can promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un state the following:

The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new U.S.–DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity. The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.

Having acknowledged that the U.S.–DPRK summit—the first in history—was an epochal event of great significance in overcoming decades of tensions and hostilities between the two countries and for the opening up of a new future, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un commit to implement the stipulations in this joint statement fully and expeditiously. The United States and the DPRK commit to hold follow-on negotiations, led by the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and a relevant high-level DPRK official, at the earliest possible date, to implement the outcomes of the U.S.–DPRK summit.

President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have committed to cooperate for the development of new U.S.–DPRK relations and for the promotion of peace, prosperity, and security of the Korean Peninsula and of the world.

DONALD J. TRUMP

President of the United States of America

KIM JONG UN

Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

June 12, 2018

Sentosa Island

Singapore”

Trump: Kim reaffirmed ‘unwavering commitment’ to denuclearisation in ‘honest, direct, productive’ meeting

US President Donald Trump said North Korea leader Kim Jong-un “reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula” in a meeting which he described as “honest, direct and productive”.

Trump spoke at a news conference after signing a joint agreement with Kim.

Asked if the “security assurances” for North Korea that the US committed to in the statement included a reduction of US troops from South Korea, Trump said that’s “not part of the equation right now” though “at some point”, he said he wants to “bring our soldiers back home”. He added: “We will be stopping the war games”.

The US President said sanctions will remain in effect until North Korea has lived up to its commitments. He also said he halted plans for 300 sanctions designations last week because it would have been “disrespectful” to impose them.

Human rights were discussed, Trump said. “It will be discussed more in the future,” he added.

Trump also said he will travel to Pyongyang “at a certain time” and he will also invite Kim to the White House “at an appropriate time”. He said Kim had accepted the invitation.

Trump said Kim “wants to do what’s right” and thanked the North Korean leader for taking “the first bold steps towards a bright new future for his people”.

Negotiations to implement the agreement would take place “as soon as possible”, Trump said. “I know for a fact as soon as [Kim] arrives [in North Korea] he’s going to start a process that’s going to make a lot of people very happy and very safe,” Trump said.

Trump said North Korea is already destroying a “major missile engine testing site”. “That’s not in your signed document, we agreed to that after the agreement was signed,” the president explained.

Asked how he could be certain North Korea’s commitments amounted to more than “all talk no action”, Trump said “you can’t ensure anything. All I can say is that they want a deal”. He added: “I just feel very strongly, my instinct, my ability or talent – they want to make a deal.”

Trump said he would probably need another summit or meeting with Kim.

Talking about the potential for economic development of North Korea, Trump praised the country’s beaches. “I said to [Kim], you could have the greatest hotels in the world,” Trump told reporters.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have signed a joint statement at the end of their landmark summit. Trump is expected to give a press conference at 16:00 local time (08:00 GMT).

If you’re just joining us and need to catch up, read the latest news report by Tom Benner from Singapore.

Analysts voice disappointment with joint statement text

Analysts have expressed disappointment at the joint statement which US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed at the end of their landmark summit.

Basing himself on a photograph of the text, Malcolm Cook, a fellow at the Lowy Institute in Australia, said the text leaves “many questions unanswered, not so many answered”.

“It’s pretty hard to be comprehensive in only one page,” he told Al Jazeera’s James Bays. “There was no mention of verifiable, no mention of the word irreversible and no discussion of when US economic sanctions would go off,” Cook said.

“North Korea has promised many times to work towards complete denuclearisation,” he added.

In a Tweet, political analyst Robert Kelly called the outcome of the summit “depressing”.

God, this is just depressing. All that hype for this? All that drama and the Nobel talk? Come, art of the deal. This is it? This is, well, pathetic given that the US president was personally involved. https://t.co/1TKaCFXplP — Robert E Kelly (@Robert_E_Kelly) June 12, 2018

Joint statement: N Korea commits to ‘work towards’ complete denuclearisation

According to photographs of the joint statement signed by Trump and Kim, North Korea has committed to “work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula”.

“The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new US-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity,” the photographed statement reads.

In the document, President Trump committed to “provide security guarantees” to North Korea.

The contents of the joint statement have yet to be officially released.

ZOOM IN ON THE TEXT: "President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." pic.twitter.com/vXBeIMP81i — Conor Finnegan (@cjf39) June 12, 2018

Pompeo: joint statement ‘the start of a new relationship’

In a Tweet, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Trump and Kim’s signing of a “historic” joint statement marks “the start of a new relationship”.

President Trump & Chairman Kim sign historic #Singaporesummit joint statement, the start of a new relationship. pic.twitter.com/uxmniY3neo — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) June 12, 2018

China welcomes Trump-Kim talks

China has said it welcomes and supports the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Before the leaders signed the joint statement, China’s State Councillor Wang Yi told reporters he hoped the two countries can reach a basic consensus on achieving denuclearisation, news agency Reuters reported.

“At the same time, there needs to be a peace mechanism for the peninsula, to resolve North Korea’s reasonable security concerns,” Wang said.

Trump, Kim sign ‘comprehensive’, ‘historic’ document

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have signed a document at a ceremony.

Trump said the document was “very important” and “pretty comprehensive”. He added both Kim and he were “honoured” to sign.

Kim called the joint statement “historic”. “The world will see an important change,” he said.

Trump said he and Kim had developed “a very special bond”.

After signing the agreement, Trump addressing reporters said he learned that Kim is a “talented man” who “loves his country very much”. “We’ll meet many times,” he said.

After shaking hands the leaders parted ways. Kim is now expected to fly back to North Korea.

Details on the statement are expected to be released shortly. Trump will hold a press conference within a few hours.

Kim and Trump signed a ‘historic’, ‘pretty comprehensive’ document after meeting [Evan Vucci/The Associated Press]

Reporters gather in ceremonial room

Reporters have gathered in a room which is expected to be the scene of a signing ceremony with Trump and Kim.

Two pens have been laid out on the large desk.

North Korean and US reporters were reportedly jostling for a position in the room.

A little bit of jostling going on in the signing ceremony room. pic.twitter.com/uBjISU5tzN — Jonathan Cheng (@JChengWSJ) June 12, 2018

Trump: meeting with Kim ‘better than anybody could have expected’

Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have emerged from their working lunch.

Addressing reporters, Trump said the meeting with Kim went “better than anybody could have expected”.

Trump said he and Kim were on their way to sign something. Asked what the leaders would sign, the US President said “we’ll be announcing that in a couple of minutes”.

Trump gave Kim a quick glimpse of his presidential limousine dubbed “The Beast”, a nine-tonne bulletproof and bombproof Cadillac.

Trump and Kim take a short stroll after lunch [Evan Vucci/The Associated Press]

Trump and Kim begin working lunch

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have ended their expanded bilateral meeting and started their working lunch.

US Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and Kim’s sister Kim Yo-jong are among those who have joined the leaders for the meal.

The participants can choose between beef short rib confit, sweet and sour crispy pork and soy braised cod fish for a main course. Here’s the full menu:

Working lunch at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island underway…#SingaporeSummit⁠ ⁠#TrumpKimSummit⁠ pic.twitter.com/JxiRz92Tj3 — Dan Scavino Jr.🇺🇸 (@Scavino45) June 12, 2018

Japan and South Korea ‘divided’ on approach to North Korea: analyst

Japan and South Korea are divided about how to deal with North Korea, Graham Ong-Webb, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore has told Al Jazeera’s James Bays.

“The two countries which are integral to the final resolution” fall on “different sides of Trump’s policy position, which is a two-front approach to North Korea: maximum pressure and engagement”, Ong-Webb said.

Japan believes maximum pressure should be kept on North Korea. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe “feels that we should only release the valve on sanctions when the North Koreans have fully delivered on these potential promises that they have to make about denuclearisation”.

He added that South Korea is “taking a softer tone to things. They feel that engagement is more important and if that means having to release the valve a little bit to incentivise and reward the North Koreans along the way then that should be the way forward”.

Dennis Rodman: I got a call saying Trump was proud of me

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman has said he received a call from the White House ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong-un.

Rodman told CNN in an interview from Singapore on Tuesday that a White House staffer called the former “Celebrity Apprentice” contestant to tell him the president was proud of him.

Reflecting on criticism to his past visits to North Korea, Rodman broke down in tears, saying he received death threats over his meetings with Kim.

Rodman described Kim as a “big kid” who wants to see the world and he expressed hope that the two leaders will make progress.

Trump and Kim are currently in talks with key advisers.

If you’re just catching up, read our news report from Singapore by Tom Benner.

Moon expresses hope after ‘sleepless night’

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has expressed hope for a “successful summit”, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

Speaking on Tuesday, Moon admitted he had “spent a sleepless night” and that he hoped the talks between Trump and Kim “will open a new era of complete denuclearisation, peace and a new relationship between South Korea, North Korea and the United States”.

Yonhap reported Moon and other cabinet members delayed their weekly meeting to watch the opening of the Trump-Kim summit.

South Korea's president and prime minister together watched a live stream of the summit opening. You can see their reaction on their faces #TrumpKimSummit pic.twitter.com/GPwa0gy3SB — Elise Hu (@elisewho) June 12, 2018

Trump and Kim end private meeting

Trump and Kim have emerged from their one-on-one meeting, which lasted about 48 minutes.

Trump said the meeting was “very, very good” and that he and Kim have an “excellent relationship”.

The two leaders then went into an expanded bilateral meeting, where they are joined by key advisers.

After sitting down in the meeting room, Kim said we can expect “the dawn of peace” now that the “unhelpful past” has been left behind.

Trump said, “we will be successful”.

On the US side, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton and Chief of Staff John Kelly joined. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Kim Yong-chol, who has been described as Kim’s right hand man, were among those who joined Kim at the table.

The meeting is expected to last until 11:30 local time (03:30 GMT) after which the leaders will have a working lunch.

.@POTUS and US Delegation start expanded bilateral meeting with Leader Kim Jong Un and North Korean Delegation. #SingaporeSummit pic.twitter.com/7FREnG36Xw — Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) June 12, 2018

Trump and Kim shake hands

Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have shaken hands, marking the opening of a historic summit.

Posing for photos, Trump said “we will have a terrific relationship no doubt”.

Kim said “the way to come here was not easy. The old prejudices and practices worked as obstacles on our way forward, but we overcame all of them and we are here today.”

Trump and Kim will now enter a one-on-one meeting where they are joined only by translators.

Trump and Kim shake hands at the Capella resort on Sentosa Island [Evan Vucci/The Associated Press]

Both leaders arrive at Singapore summit site

Kim and Trump have reached the venue of their historic summit.

The convoys of the two leaders drove through the streets of Singapore to reach Capella Hotel on Singapore’s Sentosa island.

Trump arrived first in advance of the 9am local time (01:00 GMT) meeting. Kim’s black armoured limousine pulled in a short time later at the luxury resort for the world’s first meeting between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader.



Kim-Trump meeting schedule

After an initial greeting at the 9am local time (01:00 GMT) start of the summit, Trump and Kim will go into a one-on-one meeting with translators only, according to a White House statement.

This will then be followed by an expanded meeting with officials from both sides and a working lunch. The site where Kim and Trump are expected to meet for the first time [Al Jazeera]

Read more about the historic meeting here.

Kim en route to meet Trump

The convoy of North Korea’s leader has left the St Regis Singapore for his historic talks with the US president.

A North Korean flag flew from Kim’s limousine as it drove to the summit venue in a convoy of about 20 vehicles, with onlookers lining the street and taking pictures.

Kim and Trump will meet at the Capella Hotel on Singapore’s Sentosa island. Kim’s motorcade heading towards the summit site in Singapore [Tyrone Siu/Reuters]

Trump on way to meet Kim

The motorcade of the US president has left Shangri-La Hotel for his nuclear summit with Kim.

The convoy is heading towards Capella Hotel on Singapore’s Sentosa island.

The meeting is expected to take place at 9am local time, or 01:00 GMT.

Trump’s motorcade heading towards Capella Hotel [Feline Lim/Reuters]

Trump and Moon vow ‘close coordination’

Trump and his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, agreed to closely coordinate their steps following the historic summit in Singapore, the White House said in a statement on Tuesday.

They “vowed to continue their close coordination” after the meeting, the White House added.

The two leaders spoke by phone on Monday to discuss developments ahead of the summit.

Pompeo departs Singapore hotel for summit

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has left the Shangri-La Hotel where the US delegation is staying in the city-state.

Trump: We’ll soon know if ‘real’ deal can happen

Hours before his meeting with Kim, Trump wrote on Twitter that summit preparations between the two countries were “going well and quickly”.

He added, however: “In the end, that doesn’t matter. We will all know soon whether or not a real deal, unlike those of the past, can happen!”

The US president has previously said he would know “within a minute” whether something good would come out of the summit.

Meetings between staffs and representatives are going well and quickly….but in the end, that doesn’t matter. We will all know soon whether or not a real deal, unlike those of the past, can happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018

A few minutes after his early Tuesday post, Trump used Twitter again to take aim at his critics:

The fact that I am having a meeting is a major loss for the U.S., say the haters & losers. We have our hostages, testing, research and all missle launches have stoped, and these pundits, who have called me wrong from the beginning, have nothing else they can say! We will be fine! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018

Kim impressed after Singapore tour

Following a night tour of some of Singapore’s landmarks, Kim said he was impressed by the city’s states economic development and hoped he could learn from the country, according to North Korea’s state media.

Kim said Singapore was “clean and beautiful”, while looking at the view on Monday from the observation deck of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, adding that he had learned much about the Southeast Asian nation’s economic potential and how it had developed, the official KCNA news agency said

PR stunt or substance?

Michael Fuchs, a senior fellow at the Center For American Progress, a Washington-based think tank, believes that the Trump-Kim summit will likely to be “high on rhetoric and aspirations and probably low on detail”.

“One of the biggest fears out of this summit is that it is just a PR stunt and its reality TV for the cameras and then afterwards nothing happens in terms of substance or verification or implementation of any agreements that are made,” he told Al Jazeera, speaking from Washington, DC.

“And all we get out this is Kim Jong-un, one of the world’s most ruthless dictators, looking more like an international superstar,” Fuchs added.

According to the White House, Trump and Kim will square off one-on-one, alone – without any advisers – except for a pair of translators for the first 45 minutes on Tuesday.

Fuchs voiced concern that in the one-on-one sitting, the US president “who is not steeped in the details and history of the substance of these highly complex issues” might end up “agreeing to things that are not in the best interests of the United States.”

UN ready to ‘support’ US-North Korea talks

The United Nations is prepared to play a verification role if requested following talks in Singapore between Trump and Kim on the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

“Relevant parts of the United Nations system stand ready to support this process in any way, including verification if requested by the key parties. They are the protagonists,” Guterres told reporters in New York on Monday.

The UN chief commended both Trump and Kim for pursuing a diplomatic solution and “seeking to break out of the dangerous cycle that created so much concern last year.”

“Peace and verifiable denuclearisation must remain the clear and shared goal,” Guterres added.

Kim leaves hotel for city tour

Kim left his luxurious hotel for a late-night city tour hours ahead of his summit with Trump.

Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said Kim went to the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore on Monday night.

The foreign minister posted a photo online showing him with Kim at the site.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Twitter

Denuclearization isn’t something that ends badly for the North Koreans. In fact, it’s just the opposite — it leads to a brighter, better future for #DPRK. #SingaporeSummit pic.twitter.com/22E13NoeL7 — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) June 11, 2018

The fact that our 2 leaders are sitting down face to face is a sign of the enormous potential to accomplish something that will immensely benefit both of our peoples & the entire world. #singaporesummit pic.twitter.com/7a6o6jnKAu — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) June 11, 2018

Analyst: N Korea looking for ‘fundamental change’ in US policy

Mike Chinoy, a North Korea expert, believes North Koreans are looking for a fundamental change in the political relationship with the United States, and “what Pyongyang has always called the US’ hostile policy”.

“North Koreans have made it clear that it needs to see concrete evidence of that change before it takes any irreversible steps to roll back its nuclear programme,” he told Al Jazeera, speaking via Skype from Liverpool, England. “So, there is still a big question mark over how the two leaders are going to bridge that gap.”

Chinoy, who is the author of Meltdown: The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis, added that unless both the US and North Korea agree on the fundamental definition of the term denuclearisation, “making progress is going to be very tricky”.

“North Korea has always talked about denuclearisation of the entire Korean Peninsula, which in Pyongyang means ending the US nuclear umbrella that protects Japan and South Korea and scaling down US military presence in South Korea, while the Americans talk about denuclearisation as really referring only to North Korea’s nuclear arsenal,” he said.

Trump to leave Singapore on Tuesday

The White House has said that Trump will depart Singapore for the US on Tuesday evening at around 8pm (12:00 GMT).

In a statement, the Trump administration said discussions between the US and North Korea are “ongoing and have moved more quickly than expected”.

Trump and Kim will meet Tuesday morning at 9am (01:00 GMT). They will have a one-on-one meeting which will only include translators, a bilateral meeting and a working lunch, the statement read.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Chief of Staff John Kelly and National Security Adviser John Bolton will be present at the bilateral meeting. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, Ambassador Sung Kim and National Security Council Senior Director for Asia Matt Pottinger will join the lunch.

In photos: Day before Kim-Trump summit

Trump told Singapore Prime Minister Lee over lunch: ‘things can work out very nicely’ [Ministry of Communications and Information Singapore/The Associated Press]

Police officers patrol outside the St Regis Hotel in Singapore, where Kim is staying. Hosting the summit will reportedly cost the city-state 20m Singapore dollars ($15m), half of which would go to enhancing security [Yong Teck Lim/The Associated Press]



Activists root for a successful summit at a rally near the US embassy in Seoul, South Korea [Ahn Young-joon/The Associated Press]



A Christian woman prays during a service wishing for peace on the Korean Peninsula at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju near the border village of Panmunjom, South Korea [Ahn Young-joon/The Associated Press]

Denuclearisation process must be ‘anchored in international law’, ICAN

Beatrice Fihn, the executive director of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, has said a denuclearisation process must happen within the context of the international legal framework.

“Two unpredictable and in some case unreliable leaders are controlling this global issue that can threaten the entire world,” she told Al Jazeera’s James Bays. “It’s time for the international legal framework, the treaties, to really put this denuclearisation process in context.”

Legal instruments including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty are the basis for any denuclearisation process and can “anchor it in international law”, Fihn said.

“This is really a historical possibility … the rest of the world needs to be involved in this process; we cannot leave it to these two countries that are clinging on to their weapons of mass destruction.”

Pompeo: Complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula only acceptable outcome

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that CVID, or complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation, of the Korean Peninsula remains “the only outcome that the US will accept” from diplomacy with North Korea.

At a press briefing before Tuesday’s summit, Pompeo said “the ultimate objective” of such diplomacy had not changed.

He expressed hope that tomorrow’s summit will “set the conditions for future productive talks”.

Until North Korea has completely denuclearised, Pompeo said, “sanctions will remain”.

He added Trump recognised North Korea’s “desire for security”, adding that the US was also prepared to “ensure that a North Korea free of weapons of mass destruction is also a secure North Korea”.

Asked if a removal of US troops from South Korea was included in these security assurances, Pompeo refused to give any details but said the US is prepared to give assurances that are “different” and “unique” from what the US has been willing to provide previously. “We think this is both necessary and appropriate,” he said.

Pompeo said that Trump was heading into the meeting with “confidence, a positive attitude and eagerness for real progress”. He added Trump had made it clear that “if Kim Jong-un denuclearises, there is a brighter future for North Korea.”

Trump, Moon speak on phone

Trump and Moon Jae-in spoke on the phone on Monday, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.

Spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said Moon told Trump that the summit, if it succeeds, will be a “gift” to the world.

“President Moon and President Trump agreed Trump and Kim will be able to make a great achievement if the two leaders come together to find a common denominator through frank discussions,” Kim said.

In what Yonhap called the “unexpected” phone conversation, Trump said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would go to Seoul immediately after the summit.

South Korea’s Moon Jae-in optimistic over talks

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday said he has “both expectations and hopes that tomorrow’s summit will be a success”, Yonhap news agency reported.

Moon said the summit would be the start of a “long process” of denuclearising North Korea.

“The deep-rooted hostile relationship and the North Korean nuclear issue cannot be resolved in one single action in a meeting between leaders,” he said.

Moon added that dialogue between North Korea and the US was not enough to resolve the nuclear issue. “We must also successfully develop the South-North Korean relationship at the same time,” he said.

Also on Monday, the special national security adviser to Moon Jae-in, Moon Chung-in, said “past behaviour should not be the yardstick to judge current or future behaviour of North Korea.” He said that while the US has previously accused North Korea of breaking promises, “now is the time to set aside all those things.”

‘Peace deal bottom line for the US’: analyst

Speaking with Al Jazeera’s James Bays, Alexander Neill of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said that the “bottom line” for the US and North Korea is to get a peace deal.

“That’s the lowest common denominator. They’ve got this far and there’s so much political capital invested in this that to not walk away with something along those lines would be quite catastrophic,” he said.

An armistice ended the Korean War in 1953, but North and South Korea never signed a peace agreement and are technically still at war.

The White House has said it wants to attain complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation (CVID). Neill thinks the leaders will take incremental steps towards that goal.

“What they’re going to be looking at I think is starting off with some cosmetic approaches, some choreography and then they’re going to move in an incremental way towards … CVID light perhaps,” he said. “This is a handshake opportunity.”

Trump returns to hotel

Trump has returned to his hotel after meeting with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee.

In a statement, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said “The president is well prepared for tomorrow’s engagement with Chairman Kim. The US position remains clear and unchanged.”

North Korea news agency KCNA commented on Tuesday’s agenda, saying talks would focus on “the issue of building a permanent and durable peace-keeping mechanism on the Korean Peninsula, the issue of realising the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and other issues of mutual concern”.

During his meeting, Trump was presented with an early birthday cake. The US president turns 72 on Thursday.

Celebrating birthday, a bit early. pic.twitter.com/laVLNs7J2j — Vivian Balakrishnan (@VivianBala) June 11, 2018

Trump meets Singapore PM

Donald Trump has sat down for lunch with his Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The leaders met at Lee’s official residence the Istana, where Kim Jong-un sat down with Lee on Sunday.

During the lunch, Trump said he thinks “things can work out very nicely” at Tuesday’s meeting.

At lunch with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee, Trump said ‘things can work out very nicely’ tomorrow [Evan Vucci/The Associated Press]

US-North Korean delegations wrap up meeting

Officials from the US and North Korean delegations have finished up a meeting in preparation of Tuesday’s summit.

US ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim led the US delegation while Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui was part of North Korea’s delegation.

The meeting lasted more than two hours and took place at the Ritz Carlton.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted the talks had been “substantive and detailed”.

Trump-Kim meeting: Theatrics over substance?

The outcomes of Tuesday’s unprecedented meeting are highly uncertain, but analysts say that the mere fact is happening is a step forward.

But there is doubt that denuclearisation of North Korea is achievable in the short term.

“North Korea cannot denuclearise completely right now and hope to be safe from a president who said we’re going to rain fire and fury on you, from a country that’s been calling you evil for 25 years,” said Horacio Falcao, a negotiations expert at the INSEAD graduate business school in Singapore.

One analyst told Al Jazeera Trump will seek to promote his image as a deal-maker.

“Trump is a publicity seeker. He sees the summit not as a means to an end, but the end itself. He’s much more interested in the theatrics of public policy, rather than the substance,” Resnick said.

Read our analysis here.

Singapore prepares for summit chaos

Singapore is the Switzerland of Southeast Asia, wealthy and exclusive, a politically neutral small state surrounded by larger powers, writes Tom Benner.

Some 3,000 journalists are expected to descend on Singapore. Hotel rooms are at near capacity and taxi drivers are bracing for excessive demand and traffic gridlock.

The Tanglin neighbourhood surrounding the Shangri-La Hotel and the entire resort island of Sentosa will be locked down as “special event” areas with security measures such as road closures and spot checks.

Read more about Singapore’s preparations for the summit here.

Trump and Kim arrive in Singapore