Lavrov told reporters he had accepted an invitation to visit Pyongyang, and that he and Ri had discussed the situation around North Korea's nuclear and missile program, and tensions between Pyongyang and Washington. Lavrov added: "We welcome the gradual normalization of the situation and cessation of mutual threats, and the readiness for contacts between North Korea and the United States."
The North Korean foreign minister, Ri Yong Ho, did not appear before reporters, but made a number of comments before his meeting with Lavrov. He said: "The current situation on the Korean Peninsula and around Russia, and the overall international political situation, require our two countries to further strengthen friendly cooperation, to increase our strategic communication and coordination of action between our countries."
Ri said he hoped the two countries would find ways to create "a new milestone" in their relations this year.
High-ranking North Korean officials have been engaged in a flurry of international diplomacy in recent weeks ahead of a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Kim made a surprise visit to China last month for talks with President Xi Jinping, his first trip abroad since he assumed power in 2011.
Ri arrived in Moscow on Monday and held talks with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev about options for dialogue between Pyongyang and Seoul.
