In Kyiv, Ukrainians living under near daily Russian bombardment watched with astonishment as their country’s most important ally rolled out a red carpet in Alaska for the man they blame for over three years of war,

Early Saturday morning, Trump dropped his previous demand for a cease-fire, writing on social media that the best way to end the war is “to go directly to a Peace Agreement.” That strategy echoes Putin’s preferred approach and would allow the fighting to continue until a deal is reached.