Washington: US President Donald Trump today said he will lift current sanctions on North Korea only after making sure Pyongyang no longer has nuclear weapons.

Trump said that they are very close to it when he was asked at what point would the sanctions come off of North Korea, in an interview.

When we can be sure there will be no more nuclear, he responded.

Very close. We're very close to getting it started. He (Kim) wants to do it, he wants to do something great with his country, he wants' to make his country great, Trump said when asked how close they are.

Early this week, Trump had a historic meeting with Kim Jong-un in Singapore, wherein the North Korean leader agreed to denuclearise and give up nuclear weapons.

Trump said he could also invite Kim to the White House.

I think it's something that could happen. Yes. Hey, he's the head of a country. And I mean he is the strong head. Don't let anyone think anything different. He speaks and his people sit up at attention. I want my people to do the same, Trump said.

Trump had said that he has shared his number with Kim.

I can now call him. I can now say, "Well, we have a problem." I told him, I gave him a very direct number. He can now call me if he has any difficulty. I can call him. We have communication. It's a very good thing, Trump said.

"People are shocked that this is the kind of -- you know, they thought Trump was going to get in. He was going to start throwing bombs all over the place. It's actually the opposite," he said.

The US he said, is going to have a very strong verification process for North Korean denuclearisation. Now, if you read the agreement, which most of you didn't, point after point after point he gave, including getting back the remains of our great heroes, which made some people cry in the streets, they're so happy. Nobody thought we were going to get that. Point after point, he said.

All they said about me is, 'You met. He met. It's terrible'. Of course, I met. Meeting is a good thing, not a bad thing. By the way, it was good for the United States. It was good for them, he said.

Trump also said the Chinese are very happy with the North Korea summit.