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August 15, 2025

	By Louise Loftus Senior Staff Editor, International Opinion

Is it merely stunt diplomacy? President Trump and Vladimir Putin will meet today in Alaska to discuss what terms might end the war in Ukraine. Both seem to have considerable faith in their deal-making abilities, but readers would be forgiven for assuming that very little can come from a sit-down conversation between Trump and the Russian president — particularly one to which nobody from Ukraine, or even Europe, has been invited.

As M. Gessen wrote in a column this week, it’s not even clear that Putin wants the war to end: “The war in Ukraine has become the political, psychological and economic center of Putin’s regime.”

The meeting itself is being perceived roundly as a diplomatic coup for Russia — or, as Nicholas Kristof puts it, “a political gift to Putin.” But as Hanna Notte writes in a guest essay today, Putin should be careful what he wishes for.

“Mr. Putin has long insisted that Ukraine will be his. But in a world shaped by Mr. Trump’s mercurial temperament and might-is-right principles, his obsession may cost Russia more than he has bargained for.”

Read our coverage:

Nanna Heitmann for The New York Times Guest Essay Putin Should Be Careful What He Wishes For Russia’s president has long insisted that Ukraine will be his. But his obsession may cost Russia more than he has bargained for. By Hanna Notte

Juan Mabromata/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images M. Gessen The Fundamental Truth About U.S. Strategy That Putin Knows and Trump Ignores Trump is giving Putin a most wonderful gift. By M. Gessen

Susan Walsh/Associated Press Nicholas Kristof Mr. President, Stop Coddling Putin Ukrainians are heroes. It’s time that Donald Trump started acting like it. By Nicholas Kristof

Here’s what we’re focusing on today:

Editors’ Picks

Michelle Goldberg Trump’s Attempt to Make Museums Submit Feels Familiar MAGA would fill museums with self-glorifying kitsch, the aesthetic lingua franca of all authoritarians. By Michelle Goldberg

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letters Pediatricians’ Plea: Don’t Separate Migrant Families Pediatricians call for keeping migrant families intact. Also: Nuclear pessimism; a view from Canada; “cleaning up” D.C.; food stamps; books, read and unread.

Charles Krupa/Associated Press David Brooks America’s New Segregation To be one nation, we have to embrace ground-up social change. By David Brooks

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