Trump, Moon try to keep summit on track amid doubts

President Donald Trump labored with South Korea’s Moon Jae-in Tuesday to keep the highly anticipated U.S. summit with North Korea on track after Trump abruptly cast doubt the June 12 meeting would come off. Setting the stakes sky high, Moon said. “The fate and the future of the Korean Peninsula hinge” on the meeting.

The summit, planned for Singapore, offers a historic chance for peace on the peninsula, and the risk of an epic diplomatic failure that would allow the North to advance its nuclear weapons program.

Trump’s hesitation appeared to reflect setbacks in efforts to bring about reconciliation between the two Koreas, as well as concern whether the self-proclaimed dealmaker can deliver a nuclear accord with the North’s Kim Jong Un.

Seated in the Oval Office with Moon, Trump said Kim had not met unspecified “conditions” for the summit. However, the president said he believed Kim was “serious” about negotiations, and Moon expressed “every confidence” in Trump’s ability to hold the summit and bring about peace.