Will Trump Meet Kim in Warsaw? It’s Possible
Published in Polityka
(Poland) on 19 April 2018
by Jędrzej Winiecki (link to original)
(Poland) on 19 April 2018
by Jędrzej Winiecki (link to original)
Translated from
by Anna Zymula.
Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.
If Kim had his grandfather’s imagination and could find the time, he could come to Europe by train. There are a couple arguments in favor of his coming to Warsaw.
In the next couple of weeks, a meeting between the North Korean leader and the president of the United States is to take place. Only then will we know what they decide, but the summit is already considered historic. Little wonder that there are plenty of assumptions regarding the place where Kim Jong Un could possibly shake Donald Trump’s hand.
North Koreans are remaining silent, as usual. Trump is talking about five places under consideration by his administration. Because there is no concrete information, newsrooms from all over the world are fantasizing about a much longer list which occasionally includes Warsaw, among other locations.
In Which Country Could Trump Meet Kim?
There is always the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas on reserve for a meeting. If we skip this, the key to picking one place has a couple of fixed elements. The parties are looking for a particularly neutral country. The global powers such as China, Russia and Japan are excluded, as are their most loyal Asian allies.
The second aspect is travel arrangements. Kim recently traveled secretly to Beijing by train. The train trip was probably less about security and more about the theatrical impression the trip would make once photos were published of the luxurious armored train Kim used, the train which his father, who was known for his fear of flying, used for travel. Sticking to train tracks could therefore suggest that the meeting might take place in Ulan Bator in Mongolia (because it’s near Pyongyang), Bangkok in Thailand (as both countries have embassies there) or Singapore (where the leaders of Taiwan and the People's Republic of China have recently met).
Europe Also Has a Chance
Customary practice in organizing similar summits, peace conferences or disarmament meetings seems to speak in favor of Europe, with the whole Scandinavia and Switzerland at the top of the list. The parties are also exploring places that have links to both the U.S. and North such as Prague for example, where Kim’s uncle serves as ambassador, and who was in charge of an embassy in Warsaw for more than 16 years before that. On the other hand, Kim’s uncle’s extended stay in such distant embassies may suggest exile rather than proof of any strong bond with the rest of Kim’s dynasty.
Another potential advantage of Europe is that it lies more or less halfway between the U.S. and North Korea. For example, Warsaw is 7,200 kilometers (approximately 4,474 miles) from Washington, and 7,500 kilometers (approximately 4,660 miles) from Pyongyang. If Kim had his grandfather’s imagination and could find the time, he could come to Europe by train.
Trump’s good memories from his visit to Poland last year, among other things, also weigh in favor of meeting in Warsaw. By the way, might we suggest Brzesc on the Bug River, which lies exactly in the middle between Washington and Pyongyang?
Does the Host Matter?
This guessing game resembles preparations for huge sporting events. Once you hear the first whistle or see the Olympic flame, the place itself has little significance, because what really matters is the thrill of the sport and how the competitors do. That is how it will be in this case.
The advantage of organizing the summit is temporary. The potential downsides are not especially relevant either; just some expense and a little bit of nuisance for the citizens. That is pretty much it when it comes to the historic role that the host plays. It would be more momentous if the host country’s diplomatic efforts resulted in mediating a potential agreement. The summit’s participants are not saying they need such support. It seems like the site as decoration is what they care about most.
In the next couple of weeks, a meeting between the North Korean leader and the president of the United States is to take place. Only then will we know what they decide, but the summit is already considered historic. Little wonder that there are plenty of assumptions regarding the place where Kim Jong Un could possibly shake Donald Trump’s hand.
North Koreans are remaining silent, as usual. Trump is talking about five places under consideration by his administration. Because there is no concrete information, newsrooms from all over the world are fantasizing about a much longer list which occasionally includes Warsaw, among other locations.
In Which Country Could Trump Meet Kim?
There is always the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas on reserve for a meeting. If we skip this, the key to picking one place has a couple of fixed elements. The parties are looking for a particularly neutral country. The global powers such as China, Russia and Japan are excluded, as are their most loyal Asian allies.
The second aspect is travel arrangements. Kim recently traveled secretly to Beijing by train. The train trip was probably less about security and more about the theatrical impression the trip would make once photos were published of the luxurious armored train Kim used, the train which his father, who was known for his fear of flying, used for travel. Sticking to train tracks could therefore suggest that the meeting might take place in Ulan Bator in Mongolia (because it’s near Pyongyang), Bangkok in Thailand (as both countries have embassies there) or Singapore (where the leaders of Taiwan and the People's Republic of China have recently met).
Europe Also Has a Chance
Customary practice in organizing similar summits, peace conferences or disarmament meetings seems to speak in favor of Europe, with the whole Scandinavia and Switzerland at the top of the list. The parties are also exploring places that have links to both the U.S. and North such as Prague for example, where Kim’s uncle serves as ambassador, and who was in charge of an embassy in Warsaw for more than 16 years before that. On the other hand, Kim’s uncle’s extended stay in such distant embassies may suggest exile rather than proof of any strong bond with the rest of Kim’s dynasty.
Another potential advantage of Europe is that it lies more or less halfway between the U.S. and North Korea. For example, Warsaw is 7,200 kilometers (approximately 4,474 miles) from Washington, and 7,500 kilometers (approximately 4,660 miles) from Pyongyang. If Kim had his grandfather’s imagination and could find the time, he could come to Europe by train.
Trump’s good memories from his visit to Poland last year, among other things, also weigh in favor of meeting in Warsaw. By the way, might we suggest Brzesc on the Bug River, which lies exactly in the middle between Washington and Pyongyang?
Does the Host Matter?
This guessing game resembles preparations for huge sporting events. Once you hear the first whistle or see the Olympic flame, the place itself has little significance, because what really matters is the thrill of the sport and how the competitors do. That is how it will be in this case.
The advantage of organizing the summit is temporary. The potential downsides are not especially relevant either; just some expense and a little bit of nuisance for the citizens. That is pretty much it when it comes to the historic role that the host plays. It would be more momentous if the host country’s diplomatic efforts resulted in mediating a potential agreement. The summit’s participants are not saying they need such support. It seems like the site as decoration is what they care about most.
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