Kim Jong Un open to meeting Trump but on strict terms — Reuters
Photo: US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Getty Images)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may meet with US President Donald Trump, but he will set fairly strict conditions for doing so, according to Reuters.
According to sources familiar with the situation, US and South Korean officials believe the chances of a meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un this year are dwindling.
Trump is the only US President to have met with the North Korean leader in 2018 and 2019, intending to improve diplomatic relations between the two countries.
However, neither of the two meetings during Trump's first term led to significant improvements. Pyongyang has shown little interest in diplomacy aimed at curbing its nuclear program.
According to the agency's sources, Kim Jong Un has a number of strict conditions for a meeting with Trump.
Among the main demands is a potential easing of Western sanctions.
Kim Jong Un understands that the US President will discuss curbing North Korea's nuclear program, so he is not particularly enthusiastic about a bilateral summit.
As reported by the media, in preparation for the upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un, Trump even reached out to China, which maintains close ties with the North Korean leader.
However, even Xi Jinping, acting as a mediator, was unable to assure Trump that Kim Jong Un would meet with him in November of this year.
Trump wants to meet with Kim Jong Un
US President Donald Trump wants to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China this November to resume negotiations on North Korea's nuclear program.
North Korea reacted with little enthusiasm to Trump's initiative to meet with Kim Jong Un by the end of the year.
In addition, Kim Jong Un recently showed off a missile capable of reaching the United States ahead of a possible meeting with Trump.
