Trump could discuss nuclear acceptance and pace agreement with Kim Jong-un

Former Trump administration National Security Council (NSC) Korea director Anthony Ruggiero, in an opinion article published in The Hill, said that during a possible Trump-Kim Jong-un summit, the United States could tacitly accept North Korea's nuclear program. According to Ruggiero, this acceptance could come onto the agenda together with a peace treaty and the end of U.S.-South Korea military exercises.

This proposal has become a topic of discussion on the international agenda because it could be significant enough to reshape the regional balance. Ruggiero emphasized that, while tacit acceptance is not a formal agreement, it implies acceptance of North Korea's nuclear capacity. Furthermore, the cessation of military exercises is seen as a step to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Analysts are offering different interpretations of the effects of such a step on both the Korean Peninsula and broader security dynamics. Some believe that recognizing the nuclear program could increase the risk of nuclear proliferation, while others think a diplomatic solution path could open. Currently, these scenarios are only hypothetical and no formal proposal exists yet.