Russian foreign minister to visit North Korea

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, is set to visit North Korea on Thursday, the Russian foreign service said Wednesday.

Lavrov will meet his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho to discuss the nuclear standoff.

Commenting on the visit, Lavrov recalled that Russia is a participant of the six-party talks aimed to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns posed by North Korea's nuclear program.

"Within the framework of the logic by which this mechanism is developed, we support the changes taking place now in relations between the two Koreas, in relations between Pyongyang and Washington", Lavrov said.

Lavrov also added that the task of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is difficult to solve in one fell swoop.

"This will require phasing, consistency, patience," he said.

North Korea has been keeping China in the loop regarding its recent surge in diplomacy with South Korea and the U.S., and Lavrov’s trip may be aimed at doing the same for Russia.

Kim's right-hand man was expected to travel to the United States on Wednesday to iron out the details of his country’s promise to denuclearize.

He is expected to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as a key step in finalizing the scheduled Trump-Kim summit in Singapore on June 12.