The US is reportedly trying to find a way to pay for a luxury presidential suite for Kim Jong-un – something the North Korean leader apparently desires to use during his stay in Singapore but may not be able to pay for.

A day after Donald Trump revealed his proposed meeting with Mr Kim was back on the calendar for 12 June after a positive meeting at the White House with a senior North Korean official, it emerged that mundane matters could be getting in the way of an historic geopolitical achievement.

As White House deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin and Mr Kim’s de facto chief of staff, Kim Chang Son, seek to hammer out logistical details in Singapore ahead of the meeting barely 10 days away, it was reported the North Korean leader has asked to stay at the five-star Fullerton Hotel. Yet, according to the Washington Post, the cash-strapped country has demanded someone other than North Korea pay the hotel bill, which would include a $6,000 (£4,500) per night fee for the presidential suite.

The hotel, located on the Singapore River, describes itself as the “most exclusive” in the city state. It says the presidential suite was “formerly the card room of the elite Singapore Club, [and is] furnished with a baby grand piano and has a private elevator for discreet access”.

The Post reported while the US may be open to meeting the costs of Mr Kim’s stay at the neo-classical hotel, it was mindful of not wanting to insult him. It also said any payment may contravene Treasury Department sanctions. As a result, the Office of Foreign Assets Control would need to temporarily suspend the applicability of sanctions through a waiver. The White House did not immediately respond to enquiries.