Singapore, June 12 : United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's Sentosa Island on Tuesday morning and began a first-ever summit in history between the sitting leaders of the two countries.

The summit began at 9 a.m. local time (6.30 IST) with a handshake greeting before the cameras.

Trump and Kim then began around 45-minute meeting behind closed door before having a working meeting with their respective delegations and a lunch, Efe reported.

Trump arrived at the Capella Hotel at 8.14a.m. in the morning, after a journey of less than 15 minutes from Shangri-la Hotel, where he stays. Kim left a little later from his hotel, St. Regis, and arrived shortly after 8.30am at the meeting place.

The initial handshake took place in a courtyard of the British colonial-style hotel, amid US and North Korean flags that flank the red carpet.

Tuesday's summit in Singapore, which aims to address the possible denuclearisation of North Korea, is the first between the two countries' sitting leaders after nearly 70 years of confrontation in the wake of the Korean War (1950-1953), and 25 years of failed negotiations and tensions over the North Korean nuclear programme.



Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



New Delhi, Apr 13 (PTI): A Russian missile struck a warehouse of an Indian pharmaceutical company in Ukraine on Saturday, the Ukrainian embassy in India said.

In a social media post, the mission alleged that though Russia claimed "special friendship" with India, it was deliberately targeting Indian businesses in Ukraine.

"Today, a Russian missile struck the warehouse of Indian pharmaceutical company Kusum in Ukraine," the Ukrainian embassy said.

"While claiming 'special friendship' with India, Moscow deliberately targets Indian businesses -- destroying medicines meant for children and the elderly," it said in a post on X.

No further details on the strike were immediately available.

Earlier, the UK's ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris said Russian strikes destroyed a major pharmaceuticals warehouse in Kyiv.

He said the attack was carried out by Russian drones.

"This morning Russian drones completely destroyed a major pharmaceuticals warehouse in Kyiv, incinerating stocks of medicines needed by the elderly and children. Russia's campaign of terror against Ukrainian civilians continues," Harris said on X.

On its website, Kusum Healthcare said it had a presence in 29 countries, including Ukraine, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Kenya, Ivory Coast, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Niger, Cameroon, Mali and Tanzania.

In the last few days, Russia pounded several targets in Ukraine even as the US has been pushing for a ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow.

US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Friday to discuss the ceasefire in Ukraine.

Saturday marks exactly a month since Russia refused to accept a full interim ceasefire proposed by the US.

As Russia maintained its offensive against Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha alleged that Russia was the "only obstacle to peace".

Sybiha, referring to US-brokered talks for peace in Jeddah, said Ukraine agreed to the proposal on ceasefire.

"Russia refused to agree, instead putting forward conditions and demands," he said.

From March 11 to April 11, Russia fired at Ukraine almost 70 missiles of various types, over 2,200 Shahed drones, and more than 6,000 guided aerial bombs, he said.

"These were Russian responses to peace proposals," Sybiha said.