Washington:The prospects of a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the near future remain slim, according to U.S. experts. They cite Pyongyang's demands for a shift in Washington's policy toward the North, particularly regarding its denuclearization approach, as a significant barrier.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Jenny Town, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, and Ankit Panda, a nuclear policy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, shared their insights during a podcast hosted by Victor Cha from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Town noted that North Korea has clearly rejected any denuclearization agenda, emphasizing the need for the U.S. to change its North Korean policy to meet Pyongyang's demands.

Town assessed the likelihood of a meeting between Trump and Kim as being less than 50 percent. Panda was even more skeptical, estimating the chances of a summit on the sidelines of next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China at below 10 percent. He attributed this to timing issues and Trump's potential distraction following the midterm elections, while also noting North Korea's desire for a public indication of a U.S. policy shift.

Despite the low probability of an imminent meeting, Panda suggested there could still be time for a summit before Trump leaves office. He mentioned that the president's next State of the Union address might be an opportunity to outline a new approach toward North Korea. Trump has expressed interest in re-engaging with Kim, citing their positive personal relationship, which has fueled speculation about a possible meeting during his planned visit to China next month.

The two leaders previously met three times during Trump's first term in Singapore in June 2018, in Hanoi in February 2019, and at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom.