The failure of the Hanoi summit in February is fueling a lot of concern
about where direct negotiations between the US and North Korea are
going. North Korea seems already to be looking for alternate partners,
with Kim Jong Un crossing into Russia for a planned summit with Vladimir Putin.
A Kim-Putin summit has been long planned, and Russia was keen to get in
on the talks after Kim met with Trump, South Korea’s President Moon, and
China’s President Xi, so as not to be left out of regional affairs.
The timing may be even more important for North Korea, as the stalled process with the US gives this summit a chance for Kim to show that he can negotiate with global powers and potentially make deals without the US being involved.
Details are still scant, but the talks are expected to focus on peace in
the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization, two subjects North Korea
tried, and failed, to work out with the US. If clear deals start being
worked out here, it could put the US in an awkward position of either
trying to play spoiler or letting Russia take a more active role.
Kim Visits Russia to Meet Putin on Nuclear, Peace Process
As North Korea talks with US falter, officials turn to Russia
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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