By the time you read this newsletter, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will be in Alaska, talking about the war that Mr Putin started. Mr Trump would like to end it. But some fear he will offer Russia a deal that rewards its aggression and leaves Ukraine vulnerable to future attacks. It is the biggest test yet of Mr Trump’s uniquely personal style of diplomacy.

Elsewhere, Europe has been undergoing blistering heatwaves—and the relative lack of air conditioning makes them deadlier than in, say, North America. But the hottest cities are not the ones that see the greatest excess mortality when temperatures rise. Building construction, pollution and poverty play sometimes surprising roles. Find out which European cities are faring the worst.