U.S. Secretary of State: Trump Ready to Talk with Kim Jong Un, but... No Meeting Date Set Yet

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on October 31 (local time) that U.S. President Donald Trump was ready to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but that no date had been set for the meeting.

Speaking at a press conference held on the sidelines of the G20 (Group of 20) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta that day, Secretary Rubio said, "The president's view is that he is open to meeting with Kim if Kim is ready to discuss issues of concern to the United States and our allies, including South Korea."

"As President Trump has said publicly and repeatedly, he is ready for such a meeting," Rubio said. "However, no meeting has been scheduled yet, and there is nothing to announce on that front."

Referring to the two meetings Trump held with Kim during his first term, Rubio said, "If such a meeting produces a productive outcome, President Trump would be willing to meet again."

Rubio also addressed the possibility of resuming a large-scale military operation against Iran. Asked about the matter, he said, "(President Trump) has not made a decision yet," adding, "I will not comment on what the United States will or will not do militarily."

Asked about Trump's recent statement that any new attack on Iran would be swift and large-scale, Rubio said it was "a reminder that the United States remains the most powerful military force on Earth." He added, "However, the president does not favor that approach and prefers a diplomatic solution."

Regarding negotiations to end the war with Iran, Rubio said they "have never stopped," adding, "There are times when we negotiate directly, but active discussions often continue through intermediaries."

Rubio said Trump would hold separate bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, next month and the U.S.-hosted G20 summit in December.

Responding to criticism of inviting Putin to the G20 summit, Rubio said, "Everyone wants an agreement to end the war in Ukraine," and asked, "How can we reach an agreement if we don't meet, talk, or engage with the other side?" However, regarding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's attendance at the G20 summit, he said, "That is for President Trump to decide."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.