Ahead of a summit between the leaders of North Korea and Russia, the U.S. State Department stressed that the U.S. and the international community are committed to the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea.

 A U.S. State Department official said on Tuesday that Washington is aware of the reports regarding the summit, noting the world is focused on Chairman Kim Jong-un's commitment to denuclearization. 

The official added that U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun and his Russian counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov, will continue consultations to "bridge any gaps on the way forward."

Earlier, the Kremlin confirmed that Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in the eastern Russian city of Vladivostok on Thursday. 

Kim and Putin's first summit follows the collapse of the second summit in February between the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump.

[Photo : YONHAP News]