Trump optimistic about upcoming summit with Kim

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his upcoming Hanoi summit with Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), would be "successful."

Trump told press that his trip to Vietnam next week would be "very successful," anticipating his two-day meeting with Kim would "accomplish a lot."

"That doesn't mean this is going to be the last meeting, because I don't believe it will. But we have subjects to discuss which will be very fruitful," Trump said.

Trump also hinted that Washington would consider easing sanctions if Pyongyang would do "something meaningful."

Trump said Tuesday that he would like to see the "ultimate denuclearization" of the DPRK, but at the same time noted that he was "in no particular rush" given that the sanctions remain in effect and Pyongyang has refrained from nuclear and missile testing.

Also on Tuesday, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino reaffirmed at a press briefing that the sanctions on the DPRK would "continue to be maintained until we've achieved our final result of a fully, finally verified denuclearization."

Trump announced on Feb 8 that his second meeting with Kim would take place in Hanoi on Feb 27-28. He met with Kim for the first time in Singapore in June 2018 resulting in improved US-DPRK relations.

However, differences on such key issues as a road map for denuclearization, the lifting sanctions and whether to issue a war-ending declaration still hinder negotiations.