Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoTrump defense head says US has stepped up attacks on Taliban since talks broke down Defense chief on Ukraine: ‘My aim is to keep the department apolitical’ Trump rails against whistleblower, impeachment inquiry MORE said Saturday that there is still significant work to be done as the U.S. and North Korea begin renewed nuclear talks this weekend in Sweden.

“We are mindful this will be the first time that we’ve had a chance to have a discussion in quite some time and that there remains to be a lot of work that will have to be done by the two teams,” Pompeo said, according to Reuters.

“But we hope these initial meetings can set the course for a set of dialogues that can take place in the coming weeks and months that will really deliver on the commitments that were made in Singapore,” he added.

Pompeo made the remarks at a press conference in Athens, Greece, during his tour of southern Europe, Reuters noted.

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U.S. and North Korean negotiators are meeting this weekend on the outskirts of Stockholm to discuss Pyongyang’s nuclear program.

The meeting is the first working discussion between the two countries about nuclear weapons since President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump criticizes supposed second whistleblower North Korea missile test raises fears of new capabilities Window narrows for Trump trade deals MORE and North Korean leader Kim Jong UnKim Jong UnNorth Korea missile test raises fears of new capabilities U.S., North Korea break off nuclear talks: report Pompeo says ‘a lot of work’ ahead for North Korea, US nuke talks MORE agreed to restart negotiations at a meeting in June.

The U.S. delegation is reportedly led by U.S. special representative to North Korea Stephen Biegun, who was expected to meet with Kim Myong Gil, North Korea’s chief negotiator.

Despite coming to the table for talks, North Korea on Thursday fired a short- to medium-range ballistic missile from its southern Wonsan Bay that landed in the Sea of Japan.

Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman, at the time, called the missile launch “unnecessarily provocative and not helpful in an effort to get the North Koreans back on a diplomatic path.”

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