"Trump likely to discuss tacit recognition of North Korea's nuclear arsenal, end-of-war declaration and suspension of U.S.-South Korea drills in meeting with Kim Jong Un"

[Financial News] A former U.S. official has predicted that if U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the talks are likely to put tacit acceptance of North Korea's nuclear program, an end-of-war agreement and the suspension of U.S.-South Korea joint military drills on the table.
Anthony Ruggiero, who served as director for North Korea at the White House National Security Council (NSC) during Trump's first administration, wrote in an op-ed for U.S. congressional news outlet The Hill on the 27th (local time) that "the negotiations between Trump and Kim Jong Un are likely to include at least tacit recognition of North Korea's nuclear weapons program."
Ruggiero added that Trump could propose a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War, improved political and economic ties, and a permanent halt to the U.S.-South Korea joint exercises. He also said Trump could help facilitate inter-Korean dialogue.
He stressed, however, that Trump should insist on verifiable limits on North Korea's long-range ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons program. He also said any deal should include North Korea's withdrawal of troops from Russia and an end to its military support for the Russia-Ukraine War.
Ruggiero also raised the possibility that Trump could travel to North Korea or a neutral venue to sign an agreement with Kim, saying it would create a dramatic scene that would draw intense media attention for Trump.
As a way to strengthen negotiating leverage, he proposed sanctions on North Korean nationals operating in China, as well as on Chinese banks and individuals that help North Korea evade sanctions. He said such measures would be similar in scale to U.S. pressure on small Chinese refineries that process Iranian crude, and would therefore be unlikely to provoke Xi Jinping.
Ruggiero acknowledged that negotiations with North Korea would not be easy, but noted that "many people see North Korea as a backward hermit kingdom, yet it has more than 30 years of experience negotiating with the United States and has generally gotten what it wanted." He defended Trump's approach to North Korea, saying Trump may face criticism for pursuing a meeting with Kim, but unlike previous administrations that kept repeating the same negotiating strategy while expecting different results, he should be credited for seeking achievable goals.
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