North Korea has always said that the departure of American troops from its border would be a key demand in any negotiations. But in a pretty sudden reversal, Kim Jong Un is reported to have dropped that demand. The Guardian: “North Korea has expressed a desire for the ‘complete denuclearization’ of the Korean peninsula without attaching preconditions such as the withdrawal of US troops.

+ The US has made a tactical switch as well, marked by Mike Pompeo’s secret visit to North Korea. From maximum pressure to maximum engagement.