Nuclear talks with North Korea moving ‘more quickly than expected’: White House

The White House says US President Donald Trump will leave Singapore on Tuesday night, adding that nuclear talks with North Korea are moving “more quickly than expected.”

Trump was scheduled to return to the United States on Wednesday, but will now leave immediately after meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday, the White House said in a statement on Monday.

“The discussions between the United States and North Korea are ongoing and have moved more quickly than expected,” the statement said.

Trump will depart at 8 p.m. Singapore time, according to the statement. This is despite the fact that last week Trump said the summit could last “two [or] three” days “depending on what happens” in the meetings.

Earlier on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a stern warning ahead of the historic summit.

He told reporters in Singapore that the United States will not lift economic sanctions against North Korea until Pyongyang fully eliminates its nuclear weapons capability.

A complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization “is the only outcome that the United States will accept,” Pompeo said. “If diplomacy doesn’t move in the right direction, sanctions will increase.”

Trump and Kim arrived in Singapore on Sunday to hold the first ever face-to-face meeting between leaders of the two countries, which have remained enemies since the 1950-1953 Korean War.

While the summit is seen as a test for diplomacy that could end the long-running nuclear standoff, foreign policy experts say the stakes are high if it does not result in a nuclear agreement.

Experts say the talks could run into trouble because the US and North Korea hold different understandings of what it means for the latter to denuclearize.

Trump and Kim have yet to agree even on how to define denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The US seeks the complete and irreversible dismantling of North Korea’s nuclear program. Pyongyang is demanding a solid guarantee of its security and the removal of Washington’s nuclear umbrella protecting allies South Korea and Japan.

The North has also sought an end to the US military presence in the South, where Washington has around 28,000 troops.

So far the US has failed to provide details on what kind of security guarantees it is prepared to offer.