Trudeau says cancellation of Trump-Kim meeting is ‘disappointing’

LA MALBAIE, Que. – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed disappointment Thursday at the cancellation of the planned meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.

Trudeau said there were hopes the get-together on June 12 could build on a recent meeting between leaders from North and South Korea.

The global community will continue to work toward achieving peace and stability in the region, he added.

“It is disappointing it is not going through but we are going to continue to work very hard to work as a global community toward peace and stability in the region and around the world,” he said in La Malbaie as he continued his visit to the Quebec town two weeks before it plays host to the G7 summit.

Trump first announced his decision in a letter to Kim that was released by the White House.

The U.S. president called the cancellation a “tremendous setback” for peace but added it would have been inappropriate to hold the meeting because of what he described as “tremendous anger and open hostility” in a recent North Korean statement.

— With files from The Associated Press