The true master of the art of the deal is Vladimir Putin, not Donald Trump. Though no agreement was formally struck by the two leaders at their summit in Anchorage, Alaska, Putin did succeed in setting the agenda for the endgame of the Ukraine war.

First and foremost, the meeting underscored that an eventual final deal will be struck between Washington and Moscow, and then handed down to lesser mortals such as European leaders and Volodymyr Zelensky for approval.

Second, Putin made it clear that he sees the resolution of the Ukraine war as part of a much larger and more important re-set in relations with America. Peace in Ukraine, in Putin’s vision, will be packaged alongside lucrative joint ventures with US companies in oil and gas, minerals, and space technology – and will of course

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