An historic summit between North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up with the both sides agreeing to keep denuclearization as a goal for the international community.
Both men characterized their talks as “good” and Putin called on the Trump administration to make greater compromises than have thus far been offered to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Putin said North Korea would need security guarantees and that other countries would have to be included in the negotiations as agreement solely between the U.S. and North Korea on denuclearization would be insufficient.
This was the reclusive North Korean leader’s first visit to Russia and it comes just months after the latest round of talks between he and Mr. Trump ended without a significant breakthrough on the nuclear question.
Kim and Trump met in February in Vietnam but Mr. Trump walked away from the deal during that meeting because North Korea asked that economic sanctions be lifted in exchange for their dismantling of their nuclear program.
Putin seems to have capitalized on the breakdown and expanded Russia’s influence on the world stage with this meeting. Mr. Putin has said he will brief the Trump administration on the details of his meeting with Kim, saying “There are no secrets.”
Photo by The Kremlin Presidential Press and Information Office