File Photo: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump pose for a photo prior to a high-level UN reform meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
WASHINGTON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit the White House and meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 18, the White House said on Monday.
In a statement, the White House said the Trump-Guterres meeting "will reaffirm the commitment of the United States to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the United Nations."
The two leaders will also discuss issues of mutual interest, including the Korean Peninsula, Syria, reform of the United Nations, as well as other common threats and challenges.
Trump has been at odds with the United Nations ever since his presidential campaign. He hammered the multinational organization for what he called bureaucracy and "mismanagement."
Trump's decisions to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the historic Iran nuclear deal have raised eyebrows across the world.
After Trump's announcement to exit the Iran deal, Guterres said in a statement that he is "deeply concerned" with Trump's decision to begin reinstating U.S. sanctions against Iran.
"I have consistently reiterated that the JCPOA represents a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation and diplomacy and has contributed to regional and international peace and security," he added.
