(CNN) On Monday night, history was made: An American president met with the leader of North Korea.

It was a remarkable moment as President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un walked toward one another and shook hands just after 9 a.m. local time in Singapore. It was also a made-for-TV moment as the two men exchanged pleasantries -- "Nice to meet you Mr. President," Kim said to Trump -- before quickly heading to chairs where they made brief statements.

Trump said it was his "honor" to be there for the summit. Kim acknowledged the difficulties getting to the summit but said that those challenges had been overcome. "For us, the past has been holding us back, and old practices and prejudices have been covering our eyes and ears, but we have been able to overcome everything to arrive here today," Kim said.

The two men met -- accompanied by only translators -- for 45 minutes. This is obviously the first step in a broader process, both today and going forward. With that caveat, my first impressions of the summit, and the two main participants involved, are below.

*Kim was very happy just to be there: When the two men first shook hands, Trump worked to keep a smile from creeping across his face. Kim had no such compunction, smiling broadly. And when the two men sat for a brief photo op before beginning their conversation, Kim again was seen smiling broadly.

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