Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have shared an historic handshake, lasting anywhere up to ten seconds, ahead of an unprecedented meeting between the two leaders in Singapore.

"We will have a terrific relationship,” President Trump said as he sat for the cameras with a man with whom he had verbally sparred for months and even threatened to destroy. "[I feel] really great, we’re gonna have a great discussion and a terrific relationship." He added that it was an "honour".

Mr Kim said in response: "It was not easy to get here....There were obstacles but we overcame them to be here."

Donald Trump's motorcade leaves the Shangri-La hotel for meeting with Kim Jong-un

Following a one-one meeting with Mr Kim - which just translators invited - and then an extended bilateral meetings including aides, as well as a working lunch. Mr Trump hinted at a potential document signing, although it was unclear what that would mean.

Mr Trump added that the meetings went “better than anybody could imagine”. The leaders emerged from a working lunch and strolled together down a paved walkway before stopping and posing before the waiting news media.

Mr Trump said the meeting is “going great. We had a really fantastic meeting”.

He added that there has been “a lot of progress. Really very positive. I think better than anybody could imagine.”

Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Show all 20 1 /20 Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump and Mr Kim leave following their historic meeting AFP/Getty Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump and Mr Kim sign a document committing to peace between their nations, amongst other things EPA Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump holds up a document that both he and Mr Kim have signed AFP/Getty Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un The two leaders reach out to shake hands for the first time AP Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump and Mr Kim shake hands as they meet for the first time Reuters Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump and Mr Kim walk off stage, following their historic meeting Reuters Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump and Mr Kim take a stroll after their meeting on June 12 Reuters Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump and Mr Kim interrupt their stroll to talk to the media AP Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Kim and Mr Trump look out over a balcony at the Capella hotel, where they held their meeting on June 12 Reuters Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump takes questions at the press conference following his meeting with with Mr Kim AP Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump appreciates the crowd in the press conference following his meeting with Mr Kim Getty Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump travels to the Istana ahead of the summit with Kim Jong Un on June 12 Reuters Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Kim Jong Un travels to the Istana ahead of the summit with President Trump on June 12 Reuters Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Kim poses for a photo with Singapore's Finance Minister Vivian Balkrishnan and Education Minister Ong Ye Kung ahead of the summit with Mr Trump Twitter/Reuters Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump shakes hands with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, meeting on Monday June 11 in the Istana, Singapore's presidential palace AP Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un At a working lunch on Monday, Singapore's Prime Minister surprised Mr Trump with a birthday cake, in early celebration of his 72nd birthday later in the week EPA Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo answers questions about the summit at a press briefing in Singapore on Monday, June 11 Getty Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un US President Donald Trump arrives at the Paya Lebar Air Base in Singapore on June 10, two days prior to his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Reuters Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump and Mr Kim met on Tuesday June 12 in the Capella hotel on the island resort of Sentosa, just off the south coast of Singapore AFP/Getty Singapore Summit: historic first meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un Mr Trump boards Air Force One following the summit AFP/Getty

The extraordinary summit - barely conceivable just a few months ago - underscored the dramatic turn-around in relations between the two nuclear armed nations, when the world seemed to be teetering on the edge of conflict. Instead, the two leaders were set to discuss North Korea dismantling a nuclear programme that the regime has long pursued as a safeguard of its power, and what the US and the West can offer to persuade the heavily-sanctioned nation to do so.

And the public spectacle of an American president grasping the hand of North Korea’s absolute leader offers the latest opportunity for Mr Kim, who leads one of the of world’s most repressive regimes, to burnish his public-facing image as he pursues a high-stakes diplomatic gambit.

Earlier this year, cameras captured Mr Kim embracing South Korean president Moon Jae-in during a meeting along the two countries’ heavily fortified border. On the eve of Mr Kim’s meeting with Mr Trump, the North Korean leader posed for a selfie with Singaporean officials.

But if it is a gamble for Mr Kim, it is also one for Mr Trump. At the outset of Mr Trump’s presidential term, the prospect of a diplomatic opening with North Korea seemed less likely than the outbreak of armed conflict.

Pyongyang tested a series of increasingly sophisticated ballistic missiles and a hydrogen bomb, boasting about its ability to annihilate the US and Asian allies while demonstrating its capacity to do so.

Barack Obama warned his successor that dealing with North Korea would likely be among his most pressing of challenges.

In response, Mr Trump taunted Mr Kim - nicknaming him “Little Rocket Man” - and promising to “destroy” North Korea if necessary, a threat that was echoed by a procession of senior officials. Most vocal among them was his national security adviser John Bolton.

But as the world powers bound a straitjacket of international sanctions around the North Korean economy, the regime pivoted to outreach by sending its athletes to the Winter Olympics. The renewed diplomatic channel to South Korea allowed Seoul to pass to the White House Mr Kim’s invitation to meet.