WASHINGTON • President Donald Trump and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have agreed to a face-to-face meeting next month as the US President pledged his "ironclad commitment" to Tokyo's security, the White House said.
The commitment was made in a phone conversation between the two leaders on Saturday.
The chat with Mr Abe kicked off a busy day for Mr Trump, who also spoke with the leaders of Australia, France, Germany and Russia.
The United States and Japanese leaders, who will meet in Washington on Feb 10, agreed to work together to counter the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear programme, and deepen bilateral trade and investment, the White House said in a statement.
They also discussed the importance of the US-Japan alliance, and Mr Trump "affirmed the ironclad US commitment to ensuring the security of Japan".
The chat with Mr Abe came days after Mr Trump formally withdrew the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a vast trade deal encompassing a dozen nations that Mr Abe has backed enthusiastically. US participation is seen as key to the agreement and Mr Abe has said he would keep trying to convince Mr Trump of its merits.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged cooperation in fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. "The positive call was a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair," the White House said.
Mr Putin said he "sees the US as a most important partner in the fight against international terrorism", according to a readout of the call from the Kremlin that also described the conversation as "positive and businesslike".
The conversation between the two leaders was the first step in Mr Trump's effort to reset US relations with the Kremlin, which soured following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its support for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in his fight against rebel groups.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mr Trump underscored the importance of the Nato alliance, and vowed to work more closely together to combat terrorism and militancy.
"The leaders recognised that Nato must be capable of confronting 21st-century threats and that our common defence requires appropriate investment in military capabilities to ensure all allies are contributing their fair share to our collective security," a joint statement by the two leaders said.
In his conversation with Mr Trump, French President Francois Hollande stressed the "economic and political consequences of a protectionist approach", adding that the principle of "acceptance of refugees" should be respected.
Mr Trump had earlier signed a sweeping executive order to suspend the arrival of refugees and impose tough controls on travellers from seven Muslim countries.
"Faced with an unstable and uncertain world, withdrawal into oneself is a dead-end response," Mr Hollande was quoted as saying in an Elysee Palace statement.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump confirmed his administration would honour a refugee resettlement deal with Australia during his chat with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, according to a source close to the Australian government.
Mr Trump was due to speak with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as South Korean Acting President Hwang Kyo Ahn yesterday.
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE, NYTIMES, REUTERS
