Global Affairs

Trump-Kim summit: Exceptional event for exceptional time

Some summits have reshaped world history; others have turned out failures. Which way the Trump-Kim summit may turn is anyone's guess.

ST ILLUSTRATION: MANNY FRANCISCO
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When United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un first shake hands in Singapore tomorrow, they will most certainly be making history.

However, history is certainly no guide to how such notable gatherings impact on the future course of events. Some summits have changed the world, laying the foundations to a new global order. But others have only made a bad situation worse, by becoming part of the problem rather than offering a solution to major crises.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 11, 2018, with the headline Trump-Kim summit: Exceptional event for exceptional time. Subscribe