Back in 2018, there were few foreign policy moves as controversial U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without preconditions. Some called the Singapore Summit an “unnecessary concession” or even a “goody bag for Kim Jong Un” because it went against the logic that North Korea needs to denuclearize before getting anything in return.

But as President-elect Biden’s administration takes shape, some are noticing a quiet shift in Washington. According to several analysts, more people are open to abandoning denuclearization as the ultimate goal in pursuit of a nuclear freeze or a peace agreement.