‘Disappointment’ as Trump calls off summit with North Korea

The UK Government is “disappointed” that face-to-face nuclear weapons talks between Donald Trump and Kim Jongun have been cancelled, Downing Street has said.

Britain will keep working towards a deal resulting in denuclearisation, a spokeswoman said after the US president called off a June 12 summit in Singapore with the North Korean leader.

In a letter to Mr Kim released by the White House, Mr Trump said it was “inappropriate” for the meeting to go ahead because of the dictator’s “tremendous anger and open hostility” in a recent statement.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “We are disappointed that the meeting will no longer go ahead as planned.

“We need to see an agreement that can bring about the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and we will continue to work with our partners to that end.”

In his letter Mr Trump said he believed the pair had had great “dialogue” and he had been looking forward to the meeting.

He left the door open for a future meeting “some day”, urging Mr Kim to get in touch if he changed his mind.

Mr Trump added: “The world, and North Korea in particular, has lost a great opportunity for lasting peace and great prosperity and wealth.”

But a threat warned: “You talk about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used.”