In a high-stakes summit Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump hopes to get North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to agree to abandon his country’s nuclear program.
If successful, the talks in Singapore could bring an end to the nuclear tensions in the region, after Pyongyang’s recent series of nuclear weapons tests.
The historic summit — the first between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader — is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. local time Tuesday in Singapore, which is 9 p.m. Monday Eastern U.S. Time.
Officials from Washington and Pyongyang have been in heated horse-trading for the high-stakes summit since April, when North Korea first hinted it would be open to discussing denuclearization.
The summit will kick off with a handshake between the two leaders, who will then go behind closed doors alone, before being joined by top aides, The Wall Street Journal reported[1]. The White House has earmarked two hours for the meeting, but there is no official end time.
On Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Trump was “well prepared” for the unprecedented meeting[2], saying Washington’s position on Pyongyang dropping its nuclear ambitions is “clear and unchanged.”
But negotiators from both sides are said to be making last-minute efforts to lock down details[3] and reconcile differences before the get-together.
There are concerns that Trump may walk away from the negotiating table if he believes North Korea is “playing” him[4] with false promises.
Asked by reporters on Saturday how long it would take for him to figure out whether Kim is serious [5]about giving up the nuclear program, Trump answered: “I think within the first minute.”...
References
- ^ The Wall Street Journal reported (www.wsj.com)
- ^ Trump was “well prepared” for the unprecedented meeting (www.marketwatch.com)
- ^ making last-minute efforts to lock down details (www.wsj.com)
- ^ North Korea is “playing” him (www.marketwatch.com)
- ^ figure out whether Kim is serious (www.marketwatch.com)