The Latest: Kim upbeat on eve of 1st summit with Putin

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (AP) - The Latest on the summit between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un (all times local):

2:20 a.m. Thursday

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has stepped out of his khaki-green armored train in far-eastern Russia, smiling and upbeat ahead of a much-anticipated summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin

The summit Thursday comes amid deadlocked global diplomacy over North Korea’s nuclear program.

Dressed in a black coat and a fedora, Kim first met Wednesday with Russian officials at Russia’s Khasan train station near its border with North Korea before traveling on to Russia’s Pacific port city of Vladivostok for a summit Thursday with Putin.

Speaking to Russia’s state-owned Rossiya-24, Kim said he’s hoping for a “successful and useful” visit and would like to discuss with Putin the “settlement of the situation in the Korean Peninsula” as well as bilateral ties with Russia.

It was his first visit to Russia as North Korean leader; his late father, Kim Jong Il, visited Russia in 2011.

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6:40 p.m.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in Russia’s Vladivostok for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kim arrived on his armored train, which pulled into the station in the Pacific port of Vladivostok Wednesday evening. He was greeted by a military orchestra before he got into his personal limousine that traveled with him, and drove away.

Kim’s Russia trip comes about two months after his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump failed because of disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on the North.

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9:55 a.m.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in Russia for his summit with President Vladimir Putin in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok.

Russian news agency Tass quoted a local official as saying Kim was given flowers, bread and salt at the Hasan train station after crossing the border.

Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov told Russian media Tuesday that the summit Thursday will focus on North Korea’s nuclear program.

Kim’s Russia trip comes about two months after his second summit with President Donald Trump failed because of disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on the North.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency said Kim was seen off by officials and residents as he left Pyongyang by his special train at dawn Wednesday.