Pursuing Peace: Trump Hosts Putin For Historic Meeting In Alaska, Without Zelensky

Written By Guest User

Plus: Most Americans Don’t Trust Trump's Decision-Making On Ukraine War

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Good afternoon,

Before we get to today’s headlines, here’s a glimpse of what’s ahead for all of us this weekend in our weekly ‘Cheers to the Freakin’ Weekend’ section:

What We’re Watching:

What We’re Reading:

What We’re Eating:

  • Mosh: Mama’s Too Pizza ~ West Village, NYC

  • Sam: Pickled cucumber sorbet from Salt & Straw ~ Upper West Side, NYC

  • Lauren: A. Litteri ~an Italian market with great sandwiches near Union Market in Washington, D.C.

Have a great weekend!

🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Putin Ignores Reporters’ Questions As Trump Warmly Greets Him In Alaska

President Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin are currently meeting in Anchorage, Alaska — the first meeting between the two nations’ leaders since Putin’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On the flight over, Trump told reporters that his goal for Friday’s talks was to secure a “ceasefire rapidly.”

Trump greeted Putin on a red carpet rolled out on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson with a handshake, a B-2 bomber flyover, and a ride in the presidential limousine (without an interpreter).

WHO IS IN/OUT
Notably absent was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The warm welcome Trump gave Putin stood in stark contrast to Zelensky’s visit to the White House in March.

  • Critics argue that inviting Putin to the U.S. legitimizes his war crimes against Ukraine. Putin faces a March 2023 International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes involving Ukrainian children being forcibly taken to Russia.

    • It’s also the first time the American president has hosted the Russian leader for private talks inside the U.S. since 2007.

  • The room where it happens: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced shortly before the two leaders’ planes landed that they would not meet one-on-one. Instead, they were joined by senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff.

    • The words “Pursuing Peace” were behind the leaders and their teams ahead of talks.

Bottom line: Regardless of what either leader intends for an outcome, the meeting ends Putin’s diplomatic isolation.

  • “Instead of getting hit with sanctions, Putin got a summit,” Ryhor Nizhnikau, a Russia expert at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told The New York Times. “This is a tremendous victory for Putin no matter what the result of the summit.”

Like any major political spectacle, the day produced its share of meme-worthy moments.

WHAT’S NEXT
The meeting could last six to seven hours, the Kremlin said. It’s still going on as we send out this newsletter. Trump and Putin are expected to hold a press briefing this evening. Watch above ⬆️ on the Mo News livestream.

And for the latest breaking news, become a Mo News Premium member today for news coverage and analysis throughout the weekend.

🚨 ONE THING WE’RE TRACKING

Protests Ahead Of Summit As Most Americans Question Trump's Decision-Making On War

Hundreds of pro-Ukraine protesters gathered in Anchorage, Alaska, on the eve of Friday’s summit. "Putin is supposed to be in jail, and he just comes to Alaska like that," Hanna Correa told the BBC at the protests. Correa left Ukraine in 2019 and now lives Alaska.

Ahead of the meeting, nearly 60% of Americans said they lack confidence in Trump’s ability to make wise decisions about the Russia-Ukraine war, according to a new Pew survey.

BY THE NUMBERS
A third of more than 3,500 U.S. adults surveyed last week say Trump is favoring Russia too much, 6% say he is favoring Ukraine too much, 28% say he is striking the right balance, and 32% are unsure.

  • When asked if the U.S. is providing enough support to Ukraine, 29% of Americans said it is providing too little, while 18% said it is providing too much.

    • Among Republicans, 30% say the U.S. is providing too much support to Ukraine. That’s a 17-point drop from the start of Trump's second term.

UKRAINIAN REFUGEES IN THE U.S.
Meanwhile, about 120,000 Ukrainians in the U.S. will begin losing humanitarian protections Friday on a rolling basis, making them vulnerable to arrest and deportation. The group entered the U.S. under the Biden administration’s Uniting for Ukraine program, which granted two-year renewable humanitarian parole with an American sponsor.

Trump shut down the program when he took office and stopped issuing renewals for expiring work permits, though he said earlier this summer that his administration is working to find a solution for Ukrainians who wish to stay.

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

  • DC Attorney General sues Trump administration over “hostile” police takeover (MO NEWS) Trump's purge of Washington's homeless encampments escalates (NPR)

  • California Governor Newsom announces redistricting effort to counter Texas GOP plan (MO NEWS)

  • Trump-appointed judge strikes down Education Department threats to cut funding over DEI initiatives (FOX)

  • Heavy rains expected in Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands as Hurricane Erin nears (AP)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

  • Air Canada begins canceling flights ahead of possible strike by its flight attendants (CBS)

  • Talks on landmark plastics treaty end in Geneva with no agreement (EURONEWS)

  • King Charles leads 80th Victory over Japan Day commemoration in UK (BBC) while Japan marks 80th anniversary of WWII surrender (AP)

  • Sudden, heavy rain in Pakistan, India-administered Kashmir and Nepal kills more than 300 people (CNN)

  • Men celebrate fourth anniversary of Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan (GUARDIAN)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

  • Stocks close mixed as Dow just misses a record high (CNN)

  • Smaller solar panels that fit on your balcony or deck are gaining traction in the US (ABC)

  • Fourth person dies after a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak sickens dozens in New York City (AP)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

  • 'Sex and the City' revival 'And Just Like That...' has its series finale (ABC)

  • Tom Cruise turns down Trump’s Kennedy Center Honors invite (FOX)

  • After uproar, documentary on Hamas 2023 attack will screen at Toronto Film Festival (AP)

  • 10-year-old prodigy becomes youngest female to defeat a chess grandmaster (NBC)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… The first-ever World Humanoid Robot Games kicked off in Beijing on Friday, with 16 countries competing in 26 events via remote-controlled, advanced human-shaped machines. 🦾🦿

Robot athletes representing nearly 300 universities and private businesses competed in sports like track and field, soccer, boxing, and gymnastics, with events continuing through this weekend.

The World Humanoid Robot Games follow the success of the world's first robot half-marathon in April, which was also hosted in Beijing, and it comes at a time when the U.S. and China are competing for dominance in artificial intelligence and other technology

Guest User
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