Friday's summit in Alaska began as a superpower spectacle, then abruptly ended without any indication of what was achieved or where things go from here.
Why it matters: President Trump didn't get the ceasefire he came for, or the public commitment he wanted from Vladimir Putin to meet next with Volodymyr Zelensky. The leaders scrapped a planned lunch and departed early — but not before both declared the meeting a success.
Between the lines: It's not hard to see why Putin likely left Anchorage satisfied. Images of Trump applauding as he walked down the red carpet were beamed back to Russia, and around the world. • "They spent three years telling everyone Russia was isolated, and today they saw the beautiful red carpet laid out for the Russian president in the U.S.," Russian Foreign Mini