Missed Chance

With the cancellation of the meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, the hope for greater security in Southeast Asia is gone.

It is unfortunate that President Donald Trump and the North Korean head of state Kim Jong Un will not meet as planned in June. The talks could have been a beginning. Initially, the enemies would have had to build trust. Afterward, Washington and Pyongyang could have argued about when, and under what conditions, the regime would denuclearize, and what it would get for doing so.

It is pointless to argue about who is responsible for the collapse. Both sides will, more or less convincingly, explain why the other side is at fault. And, from their points of view respectively, both sides even have good arguments.

Yet more importantly, the political will to overcome their own insecurities was lacking on both sides. When Trump stated that North Korea displayed “tremendous anger and open hostility,” one would like to ask him what he expected.

Nevertheless, just this once, you have to give it to Trump. Eventually, the hostile nations will possibly meet, but it will be without the billionaire whose policy of being as tough as possible with North Korea will have failed. One cannot ignore the fact that he cancelled the meeting.*

*Editor’s note: President Trump cancelled the meeting with Kim Jong Un on May 24, 2018. On May 25, 2018, Trump said the meeting with North Korea might be rescheduled.