BATTLE OF THE BROMANCES: TRUMP-MACRON VS. KIM-MOON

When Trump met Macron in Washington earlier this week, the two leaders probably thought they had set a new unbeatable standard in leader-to-leader "bromances," with plenty of touchy-feely stuff, long handshakes, hugs, and even kisses between the transatlantic presidents. 

But just a few days later, that much heralded bromance has already been knocked into a cocked hat by a much more poignant meeting between Kim Jong-un the Leader of North Korea and the Moon Jae-in the President of South Korea. It probably helped that the agenda here was peace between the two Koreas rather than trying to cut Iran off at the knees.

While the Trump-Macron meeting showed two men who had a real warmth for each other, there was nevertheless a note of awkwardness at times, not least when Trump pretended to brush some dandruff off Macron's shoulder. 

Macron bravely smiles as his hair care is critiqued by a man with an interesting comb-over.

Another problem was that Macron seemed to feel slightly intimidated by Trump's bulk, brashness, and age, with the President of France acting at times like a shy schoolgirl on her first date.

The best bromances, it is well known, are between men for whom the battle for dominance is not an issue. In the case of the Trump-Macro relationship, there was a sense that Trump was trying not to be too dominant -- and failing slightly -- while Macron was doing his best not to be overshadowed. 

Needless to say, this meant that neither man was fully at his ease, and struck an occasional false note.

But contrast this with the meeting between Kim Jong-un  and Moon Jae-in at the North and South Korean border on Friday (27th of April). Here there was all the warmth and bonhomie of the Trump-Macron meeting, but with a more natural, relaxed, and positive vibe. Also both men seemed to be meeting roughly as equals, without any attempt by either to upstage the other. 

And while both men were polite and respectful to each other, there was none of the stuffy, overdone politeness that can get in the way on occasions like this. The smiles were entirely genuine, the body language natural, and the mood light without undue frivolity.

It seemed more like a couple of old friends meeting, rather than the leaders of two countries that have been poised on the brink of armageddon for the last few decades.

While the Trump-Macron bromance was a brave attempt to bring back some passion to the old Franco-American alliance, it was clearly topped by the performance of Moon and Kim.

In the battle of the bromances, the Korean border buddies are king.