Since that short-lived crisis, diplomats in both countries have conducted an intense flurry of negotiations, culminating on Thursday when Pompeo sat down in New York with Kim's number two, Kim Yong Chol. Asked whether the answer would come on Friday in the letter, Pompeo said he did not know but added "we have made real progress in the last 72 hours toward setting the conditions." Earlier, in Washington, Trump had said he was "looking forward" to reading the letter. Russia is the latest major nation to reach out to North Korea since Trump accepted Kim's proposal for a summit. Kim has already had two meetings each with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Source: The Nation Bangkok May 31, 2018 22:52 UTC