U.S. experts are advising President-elect Donald Trump to use his past relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to weaken the growing anti-American alliance between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Dmitri Alperovitch, head of the Silverado Policy Accelerator think tank, and Sergey Radchenko, a professor at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), made this suggestion in a Sunday op-ed. In it, they described strengthening ties among these four authoritarian countries as one of America’s biggest diplomatic challenges.
The authors believe North Korea is the key weak link in this alliance, arguing that Trump should act quickly to exploit this opportunity before the coalition becomes even stronger. They view Kim as a “highly transactional tyrant” whose commitment to China and Russia might not be as solid as it seems, giving the U.S. a chance to negotiate with North Korea.
A Unique Opportunity for Trump
According to Alperovitch and Radchenko, Trump’s previous relationship with Kim, established during his first term, puts him in a better position than any past U.S. president to strike favorable deals with North Korea. They suggest that Trump leverage this rapport to push for a permanent peace agreement and formal diplomatic relations with North Korea.
The authors argue that such agreements could bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, allowing the U.S. to reduce its military presence and shift focus to China, its primary global competitor. Japan and South Korea could also pivot their attention toward China. In doing so, the U.S. would deliver a significant blow to the anti-American coalition.
Shifting Strategy in North Korea
Alperovitch and Radchenko believe that Kim might be open to diplomatic overtures from Trump as he grows closer to China and Russia. Still, he remains wary of their influence over North Korea’s internal affairs. They note that North Korea’s military cooperation with these nations is largely transactional, offering fewer long-term benefits than the potential rewards of normalizing relations with the U.S.
The authors also pointed out that Trump’s previous negotiations with North Korea failed due to the U.S. demand for complete denuclearization, suggesting that a more realistic approach is needed. They propose alternative goals, such as a moratorium on nuclear tests, halting provocative missile launches, and ceasing cyber operations.
Proposed Deal: Diplomatic Relations and Economic Relief
In exchange for these actions, the authors propose that the U.S. could establish formal diplomatic relations with North Korea, lift some economic sanctions, and sign a peace agreement to end the Korean War officially.
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