Plans for US President Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull to meet together for a private dinner on Monday night were cancelled at the last minute.
The two leaders have been collaborating on strategies to press North Korea over its nuclear weapons program and other issues during Asian leaders’ summits in Vietnam and the Philippines.
But the planned dinner was changed to a short private meeting because they had met earlier in the day, officials said.
“The reckless and dangerous conduct of the North Korean regime has been the main topic of discussion,” Mr Turnbull told reporters after he and Mr Trump pulled Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe into a meeting to discuss the threat.
“My job is keeping Australia safe,” Mr Turnbull said.
Both Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump have steered well clear of Asia’s two humanitarian crises during the series of meetings, keeping the focus on North Korea, terrorism and trade.
