North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ignited a wave of alarm and criticism amongst the international community with his recent call for an “exponential increase” in his country’s nuclear arsenal by 2023. This move appears to be an effort by the North Korean leader to solidify his negotiating power and gain concessions from other countries, particularly the United States and South Korea.

At a key ruling party meeting, Kim presented a task to develop a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) missioned with a “quick nuclear counterstrike” capability and also called for mass-producing battlefield tactical nuclear weapons targeting South Korea. In response, the US and South Korea have sternly warned that any attempt to use nuclear weapons could lead to the end of Kim Jong Un’s government.

Is there is any hope for diplomatic solutions and how best to respond as an international community? There is also speculation that Kim Jong Un’s demands might just be another bargaining chip used to gain leverage in negotiations and possibly receive outside concessions from other countries.

Regardless of which theory proves true, it cannot be denied that North Korea’s militarization poses great danger not only to its neighbors but also potentially to the entire world itself if left unchecked. It’s essential that the world come together quickly and find creative solutions that can deescalate tensions in order to return peace and stability back into the region. Countries should be disarming their nuclear programs, not accelerating them.

I know one thing for sure, we wouldn’t be worrying about this if President Trump was still in office because they had a great relationship. But thanks to Joe Biden’s weakness, all of our enemies are no longer afraid of the United States and feel free to do as they please because they know that nobody is going to stop them.