June 13, 2018

The Singapore summit’s three big takeaways

It was like prom for Asia security watchers. The surprise invitation came out of the blue and was accepted, seemingly on a whim.

The Singapore summit quickly became the will-they-or-won’t-they event of the season, quite nearly derailed in fits of pique, saved only by an emotional exchange of letters. With abundant pageantry that kept experts glued to the coverage throughout the night, Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un finally shook hands on Sentosa Island — the first presidential-level meeting between an American leader and his North Korean counterpart, with the U.S. Stars and Stripes flying alongside the flag of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Here are three takeaways from the much-anticipated meeting.

The two sides didn’t agree on what “denuclearization” meant — but maybe that allowed them to talk.

Months before Trump and Kim met in Singapore, experts began to call attention to a festering bilateral issue: The two sides did not share the same definition of “denuclearization,” despite the fact that this was the subject of the summit.


Read the Full Article at The Washington Post

  • Commentary
    • October 9, 2024
    Sharper: Allies and Partners

    Amid intensifying geopolitical challenges, the United States is finding new ways to address security issues by cultivating and strengthening alliances and partnerships. How ca...

    By Gwendolyn Nowaczyk & Charles Horn

  • Commentary
    • The Diplomat
    • October 8, 2024
    What Can the US Expect From Sri Lanka’s New President?

    Washington views Sri Lanka as a “lynchpin” of its Indo-Pacific strategy and seeks a partner committed to strengthening the democratic process and economic governance while pro...

    By Keerthi Martyn

  • Commentary
    • Asia Society
    • October 2, 2024
    On Alliances in Northeast Asia

    For the U.S. alliances with South Korea and Japan to thrive — or merely survive — under the next administration, policy makers need to consider different options for different...

    By Dr. Duyeon Kim

  • Reports
    • September 26, 2024
    The China-Russia Entente in East Asia

    Executive Summary Closer cooperation between China and Russia is a major force driving global geopolitics. But how relations between the two authoritarian powers are shaping s...

    By Jacob Stokes, Evan Wright & Nathaniel Schochet

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia