President Donald Trump has nominated Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special envoy for North Korea, to serve as the State Department’s second-in-command.

Biegun would replace John Sullivan, who was nominated to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Russia. Both positions require Senate confirmation.

Biegun had a prominent role in the delicate negotiations that led to historic meetings between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He also led the so-far unsuccessful negotiations to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.

Biegun is a former Ford Motor Co. executive who served in previous Republican administrations.

His nomination has been expected since mid-September, but its timing has been unclear amid turmoil in the State Department over the House impeachment inquiry into the administration’s policy toward Ukraine.

(AP)