Ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis is praising the U.S. president for trying to reach a North Korea nuclear disarmament peacefully.

Babis, who is meeting Trump in the White House Thursday, says talking to a dictator is a better option than a military conflict.

Babis told The Associated Press the U.S. should also use its influence and position as a permanent U.N. Security Council member to help negotiate peace in Syria.

He says that besides criticizing the regime of President Bashar Assad, it is also necessary to communicate with its representatives "and engage all the states that could have a say."