Ukraine-Russia talks descended into confusion
Ukrainian and Russian delegations arrived in Turkey yesterday for what would be the first peace talks in three years, but they spent much of the day in different cities, questioning whether they would even meet.
President Vladimir Putin was absent, but he sent a midlevel delegation to Istanbul. Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, went to Ankara to meet with Turkey’s president and said he would send a pared-down delegation to Istanbul, led by the defense minister.
Overshadowing it all was President Trump, who told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One in the Gulf region that “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.”
Russian and Ukrainian officials indicated that the talks in some form were still on, but that they could be postponed until today.
Context: Behind the chaotic diplomacy is Moscow and Kyiv’s wide divergence over how to end the war. Zelensky wants an immediate and unconditional cease-fire, followed by peace negotiations. Putin, who appears confident of Russia’s upper hand on the battlefield, is refusing to stop fighting before he gets what he wants.
Trump promised ‘no more lectures’ to Middle East leaders
President Trump will wrap up his final day in the Gulf today, after being feted in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and awarded the country’s highest civilian honor.
He will return to Washington after making clear to leaders in the region that the U.S. was done with nation-building and intervening. Trump declared to much fanfare in Saudi Arabia that the U.S. would no longer be giving “lectures on how to live.”
While the president looks to peace and profit in the Gulf, his remarks left some Arab listeners worried about the potential end of U.S. pressure over human rights violations, and what it could mean for their countries.
Iran: Trump said that his administration was “getting close” to making a nuclear deal.
Tech: Trump inked deals to create a large campus that would transform the United Arab Emirates into an A.I. powerhouse.
Israel is razing Rafah, a place Gazans once fled to
Last year, a million Palestinians fled to Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip, to escape the brunt of Israel’s bombardment in its war against Hamas. When Israel invaded Rafah, most of it was spared.
That is no longer the case: Israel’s military has destroyed extensive parts of the city since the cease-fire ended in March. Satellite images and videos analyzed by The Times showed buildings being razed with controlled demolitions and excavators. New military installations have gone up.
On the ground: Israeli military strikes killed dozens across the Gaza Strip yesterday, the Gaza health ministry said.
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Instead, KJ made medical history: Now 9 ½ months old, he is the first patient of any age to have a gene-editing treatment designed just for him. Read more about the breakthrough.
Lives lived: Nora Aunor, a Filipina actress and singer who for nearly 60 years captivated audiences, earning the nickname “the Superstar,” died at 71.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Peace, love and Eurovision
The final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place tomorrow in Basel, Switzerland and organizers want to avoid any controversy, especially over the wars in Gaza and in Ukraine, that could spoil the fun.
We spoke to Alex Marshall, who covers culture from London, about what to expect.
Do you think we’ll see some of the same tensions over Gaza from last year?
Alex: I’m expecting it to be less tense, but a lot depends on what Israel does in Gaza. This year, there’s a new code of conduct that says over and over again, “don’t be political,” and everyone’s meant to have agreed to that.
Who’s the bookmakers’ favorite?
The bookmakers always think Sweden is going to win Eurovision. This year’s entry is KAJ, with a song about saunas. It’s fun and catchy, but the field’s quite open. You need a great song, but you can’t win without incredible staging. I’m hoping someone this year has something just so bonkers it makes the entirety of Europe, and much of the rest of the world, go, “Oh my god, what the hell was that?”
For more: Alex wrote about the seven easy steps to win the Eurovision contest. One tip: Set something on fire. Just not the piano.
