Kim Jong Un might be the world’s most in-demand leader. U.S. President Donald Trump wants to meet him during a visit to Asia next month. So, too, does South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and 91AV原创 Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at a giant military parade in Beijing last year and has an outstanding invitation to visit Russia.
It’s not just the diplomatic isolation that’s lifting. With a bridge between North Korea and China officially opening earlier this month and a new border crossing with Russia launching in September, Pyongyang has deepened its economic ties with Beijing and Moscow, further blunting the impact of international sanctions.
His involvement in the Ukraine war has given Kim credible alternatives, something North Korean leaders have rarely possessed. The billions of dollars in arms sales and military support to Moscow have markedly improved his economic position and arguably increased his value to Beijing. That means Washington’s most powerful bargaining chip — sanctions relief — is worth far less than it once was.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.