North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told his parliament this week he’s willing to engage with Trump, but only if the U.S. drops its “hollow obsession with denuclearization.”

Cato Institute policy analyst Evan Sankey argues in a new blog post that Kim has done U.S. policymakers a favor by “distinguishing fantasy from reality.” With North Korea’s nuclear capabilities vastly expanded and backed by new Russian support, Sankey says the US should pursue incremental deals focused on relationship-building rather than unrealistic denuclearization demands.

Sankey recommends testing Kim’s offer through new talks based on the 2018 Singapore Statement, this time focused on declaring an end to the Korean War, establishing diplomatic liaison offices, and arms control.

If you’d like to speak with Sankey on this, please reach out to mmiller@​cato.​org.