After last week’s U.S. presidential election debate, the possibility of a Donald Trump comeback seems more real than ever, and with it the possibility that the former leader could push to resume diplomatic engagement when he returns to office.

But despite Trump and Kim Jong Un’s history of “love letters” and flashy summits, there is a third player who could come in between the two this time: Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Kim and Putin’s relationship has deepened significantly since the start of the war in Ukraine and their meetinglast September in Russia. Their countries are now closer