Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dodged questions from lawmakers Wednesday asking for specifics on how North Korea defines “complete denuclearization” but acknowledged a great deal of work lies ahead.
Pompeo told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he “will concede there is an awful long way to go” following President Donald Trump’s historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore.
Pompeo cited ongoing talks between the U.S. and North Korea when asked for “verifiable evidence” that Pyongyang had begun to take steps to denuclearize.
A month and a half after the summit, the two sides appear to be at odds on what denuclearization means and how it might be verified.
After Pompeo’s most recent trip to North Korea, Kim accused the envoy of making “gangster-like” demands.
The seecretary of state also testified that he has personally told top Russian officials that there will be “severe consequences” for any interference in U.S. elections or the American democratic process.
Pompeo told skeptical members of the Foreign Relations Committee that he had made the warning clear to Russia in multiple meetings and conversations.
Pompeo made the comment in response to pointed questions about details of Trump’s one-on-one meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week in Finland.
Both Republican and Democratic members of the committee demanded details from Pompeo about the summit for which the White House has offered only vague outlines.
Republican committee chairman Bob Corker opened the hearing by saying Pompeo was appearing before senators who have “serious doubts” of Trump and his foreign policy.
Meanwhile, Pompeo said the United States will never recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea and will continue to insist that Ukraine’s territorial integrity be restored.
In a statement released Wednesday by the State Department, Pompeo said the U.S. will hold to its long-standing principle of refusing to recognize Kremlin claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force, in violation of international law. He called for Russia to respect principles and “end its occupation of Crimea.”