A senior North Korean diplomat in charge of U.S. affairs is scheduled to meet soon with former U.S. government officials in Europe, diplomatic sources said Sunday.

Choe Son Hui, head of the Foreign Ministry's U.S. affairs bureau who is believed to have arrived in Beijing from Pyongyang on Thursday, is almost certain to discuss bilateral and nuclear issues with the former U.S. officials.

The upcoming meeting will be held after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said late last month that Washington's basic approach toward North Korea is to pressure it into dismantling its nuclear program by "tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners."

While the new U.S. administration has repeatedly said all options, including a military strike, are on the table, Trump also recently said he does not rule out meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if an appropriate environment is created.

The mixed signals have emanated from Washington after Pyongyang did not conduct another nuclear test on either of two important North Korean anniversaries in April, as had been widely expected.

However, North Korea did carry out three ballistic missile tests last month in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, though two are believed to have failed.

North Korea also has not changed its stance on advancing its nuclear arms development. It has defended the development program as self-defensive in nature and said it was necessary in the face of threats from the United States.