Trump could have a summit with Kim Jong Un in the fall, says former official. Security and denuclearization remain priorities.

A former official in the administration of American President Donald Trump, Fred Fleitz, stated that there is a high chance that Trump will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this fall. The statements were made in the context of speculation that dialogue could be resumed during Trump's visit to China, where he will have talks with President Xi Jinping.

Fleitz, former chief of staff of the National Security Council, emphasized that Trump wants to resume personal diplomacy, considered a success in the past. Although open to a meeting, Trump will not back down from the demand for the denuclearization of Pyongyang. Fleitz recommended that the Trump administration ask North Korea to stop sending weapons to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

Victor Cha, the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, estimated that the chances of Trump and Kim meeting are over 50%, but not before the Trump-Xi summit. Cha noted that Trump seems to approach North Korea differently than other states, demonstrating a willingness to interact with Kim.