Key facts
- IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi supports a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
- Grossi described the meeting as "very important" and emphasized the role of diplomacy.
- He suggested that Kim's human rights record should not prevent engagement.
- Trump has reportedly sought a meeting with Kim during his upcoming Asia trip, potentially at the APEC summit in November.
Rafael Grossi, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, has voiced support for a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to a report.
Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told The Washington Post that it is "very important" for the leaders to meet, emphasizing that "Leaders need to see each other." He also stated that Kim's reputation as a human rights abuser should not prevent engagement, drawing a parallel to Trump's diplomatic efforts with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"Shaking hands is what diplomacy is for," Grossi was quoted as saying, adding that such interactions are intended to lead to productive conversations aimed at achieving outcomes.
Trump's pursuit of renewed summitry with Kim has elicited varied responses. Supporters hope it could revive stalled peace initiatives and de-escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Conversely, critics worry it might legitimize Kim on the global stage without advancing North Korea's denuclearization.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that Trump is aiming for a meeting with Kim during his upcoming trip to Asia, potentially coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen in November. Trump previously met with Kim three times during his presidency: in Singapore in June 2018, Hanoi in February 2019, and at the inter-Korean border in June 2019.