US walks away from discussions with North Korea due to disagreement on sanctions

February 28, 2019 - 03:54 PM

The North Korea-US Summit has ended with a disagreement on sanctions, according to US President Donald Trump.

US President Donald Trump speaks at a press conference after the North Korea-US Summit in Hanoi on February 28. Photo by Reuters

Explaining to the media about why there was no agreement reached at the summit on February 28, President Trump said that the US walked away from discussions over disagreement on sanctions.

"It was about the sanctions," Trump said. "Basically they wanted sanctions lifted in their entirety and we weren’t willing to do that. We had to walk away from that particular issue”.

The US leader said he was very keen to lift sanctions on North Korea because he believed in the potential of North Korea.

"Kim is willing to dismantle the Yongbyon facility, but wanted all sanctions lifted first, I wasn’t willing to do," he said.

Reporters at Trump's press conference. Photo by Thanh Dat

When being asked whether he thinks it was premature to hold the summit, the US leader said he could have signed something today, but it’s better to do it right than do it fast.

Trump says the tone of the discussion with Kim was “friendly” and people did not leave angry.

“We just like each other, we have a good relationship,” he stressed.

Asked about when he might meet with Kim again, Trump answered, “It might be soon, it might not be for a long time. I hope it will be soon, but it might not be for a long time."

However, Trump said he and Kim did not commit to holding another summit.

Earlier, the White House confirmed that despite "good and constructive" meetings, no agreement has been reached after the extended meeting between the North Korean and US delegations on Thursday morning.

North Korean and US delegations attend an extended meeting in Hanoi on February 28. Photo by Reuters

“No agreement was reached at this time, but their respective teams look forward to meeting in the future,” press secretary Sarah Sanders wrote in a statement. Sanders added “President Donald J. Trump of the United States and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea had very good and constructive meetings in Hanoi, Vietnam, on February 27-28, 2019." "The two leaders discussed various ways to advance denuclearization and economic driven concepts," she said.

A motorcade carrying US President Donald Trump travelled through Hanoi after the abrupt ending of his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Photograph: Fazry Ismail/EPA

The extended meeting between the North Korean and US delegations on Thursday morning took longer than expected and the two leaders were then seen leaving the hotel without having lunch together and holding a joint statement signing ceremony which had been scheduled to take place at 2:05pm.

The US President left at 1.30pm after the meeting and held a press conference at the Marriot Hotel where he stayed during the summit at 2pm which was two hours earlier than previously planned.