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Welcome to The Logoff: We’re coming to you a little bit later than regular after the conclusion of a summit between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, as we speak. The 2 males spoke for nearly three hours at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in what Trump described as a “very productive assembly,” however in the end introduced no concrete progress towards ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
What do we all know to date? The massive headline: There isn’t a Russia-Ukraine peace deal in place, and no non permanent ceasefire. Each leaders made solely imprecise remarks about negotiations, suggesting that there could possibly be a protracted method to go — if there’s a deal available in any respect.
Trump spoke for simply over three minutes, following longer remarks by Putin, and instructed reporters that “there have been many, many factors that we agreed on” with a number of “huge ones” nonetheless excellent; nonetheless, he provided no specifics. He additionally mentioned he would communicate with NATO allies and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in regards to the assembly, noting it was “in the end as much as them.”
What comes subsequent? Trump and Putin are more likely to communicate once more quickly, Trump mentioned, and should maintain a second summit. It’s unclear if Zelenskyy would attend — Trump has beforehand expressed hope that he would, however he didn’t touch upon that in his remarks Friday night.
What’s the context for all this? Trump returned to workplace promising to finish the battle inside 24 hours of being sworn in; almost seven months later, it has unsurprisingly proved intractable. Trump has appeared more and more impatient in current weeks, together with threatening “extreme penalties” for Russia if there isn’t any progress towards a deal. On Friday, nonetheless, he appeared extra conciliatory.
And with that, it’s time to sign off…
In the event you’re searching for a enjoyable lengthy learn — and a stroll down reminiscence lane — in your weekend, might I like to recommend Vox’s “The 25 items of tradition that designate the final 25 years”? Vox’s tradition group tackles the moments, developments, music, films, and extra which have outlined the twenty first century to date, together with some fantastic illustrations by Vox artwork director Paige Vickers. As all the time, thanks for studying, and have an ideal weekend!
