“Trump may meet Kim Jong-un first and then have additional summit after midterm elections”

A former top official from President Donald Trump's administration has shared insights about the potential for future U.S.-North Korea summit meetings. After securing an initial high-level conversation, the next step could involve an additional summit after the interim elections in November or in the following year. The assessment comes from former National Security Council (NSC) North Korea deputy director, Anthony Luiz.

He suggested that President Trump might be inclined to meet Kim Jong-un face-to-face, irrespective of the format, to kickstart talks. Luiz explained that North Korea operates with a single leader making key decisions, similar to Trump's preference for direct negotiations. The two leaders' decision-making styles coincide well, according to Luiz, making them a "perfect combination" for successful diplomacy.

Regarding North Korea's nuclear program, Luiz recently changed his stance, acknowledging the existence of nuclear weapons while emphasizing the need for realistic, incremental targets. He argued that North Korea should focus on withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and reducing military support for Russia, which should take precedence over the nuclear issue.

However, Luiz stressed that recognizing North Korea's nuclear capabilities should not encourage other nations to pursue their own nuclear programs. The key question for the president and military leaders, Luiz noted, is whether a mutually beneficial agreement can be reached and whether it can be presented as a signal that other nations should not pursue nuclear weapons.

Trump's recent decision to reduce joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises also surprised Luiz, who believes the president is strongly opposed to these exercises and believes a deal with North Korea is possible. In a more recent report published the day before, Luiz anticipated that "implicit recognition" of North Korea's nuclear program might be included in future talks.

He stated that Trump might propose a peace treaty ending the Korean War, improved political and economic relations between North and South Korea, and a permanent suspension of U.S. joint military exercises. However, Luiz insisted that North Korea's long-range missile and nuclear programs should be subject to verifiable limits, and the withdrawal and curtailing of Russian support for the North Korean military should be demanded.