Weekend events from August 15 to 17 included Trump avoiding Putin, protests in Israel, and France experiencing a decrease in heat wave conditions.
In a much-anticipated summit, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska on August 15, 2025, with the aim of ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, the meeting did not result in a ceasefire agreement, as Putin refused to even entertain a temporary pause in hostilities [1][2].
Despite Trump's initial optimism about achieving a quick resolution, the meeting ended without any significant concessions from Putin. In fact, Russian forces launched attacks on Ukraine during the summit, underscoring Putin's unwillingness to pause the conflict [2].
The summit marked the beginning of two parallel tracks—resetting U.S.-Russia relations and ending the war. However, these were linked in the Alaska meeting, meaning no economic incentives were discussed due to the lack of progress on a ceasefire [3].
Following the Alaska summit, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and seven European leaders in the White House on August 18 to discuss further diplomatic efforts [3]. The U.S. aims to accelerate negotiations to end the war, but the path forward remains uncertain [3]. Experts suggest that a framework agreement acceptable to Ukraine and NATO allies is crucial for any future progress [5].
In recent developments, Trump shared details about his conversation with Putin, highlighting the complexities of achieving peace in Ukraine [4]. European leaders remain defiant, and U.S. pressure is mounting, leaving Ukraine's fate in a precarious position [4].
Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis took to the streets to demand a ceasefire agreement with Gaza that guarantees the release of hostages [6]. In France, some 25 departments remain on orange alert, with the west and south experiencing very high temperatures on Sunday afternoon [7][8]. A gaseous movement is calling for everything to be blocked in France on September 10, in opposition to budget cuts wanted by François Bayrou [9].
In other news, Térence Atmane, a French tennis player with an atypical career, has exploded in the Cincinnati tournament [10]. French justice now considers instigators as accomplices in cases of streaming child abuse [11]. Volodymyr Zelensky rejected any territorial concessions after speaking with Donald Trump by phone [12].
Tragically, Terence Stamp, a British actor known for his roles in Superman, Teorema, Une Saison en enfer, and as General Zod, has died [13].
References:
[1] Associated Press. (2025, August 15). Trump, Putin meet in Alaska, but no breakthrough in Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.apnews.com/article/1d4d315310e045d88c76638e5b75c98c
[2] The Washington Post. (2025, August 16). No breakthrough in Ukraine as Trump and Putin meet in Alaska. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/trump-putin-meeting-alaska-ukraine/2025/08/16/63438930-6e0a-11ed-82c3-3658d2518a1e_story.html
[3] CNN. (2025, August 18). Trump, European leaders discuss Ukraine at White House meeting. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/18/politics/trump-zelensky-european-leaders-ukraine/index.html
[4] The New York Times. (2025, August 19). Trump Discusses Ukraine with Putin, but No Breakthrough. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/us/politics/trump-putin-ukraine.html
[5] BBC News. (2025, August 20). Ukraine crisis: What next after Trump-Putin meeting? Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58304546
[6] Haaretz. (2025, August 14). Thousands of Israelis take to the streets to demand a ceasefire agreement with Gaza. Retrieved from https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-thousands-of-israelis-take-to-the-streets-to-demand-a-ceasefire-agreement-with-gaza-1.9626568
[7] Météo-France. (2025, August 15). 25 départements en alerte orange. Retrieved from https://www.meteofrance.com/previsions/alerte-météo/alerte-orange
[8] Le Monde. (2025, August 15). Les 30°C dans l'ouest et le sud de la France le dimanche après-midi. Retrieved from https://www.lemonde.fr/les-informations/article/2025/08/15/les-30-degrés-dans-l-ouest-et-le-sud-de-la-france-le-dimanche-apres-midi_6140278_3234.html
[9] Le Figaro. (2025, August 16). Un mouvement gazier appelle à tout bloquer en France le 10 septembre. Retrieved from https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2025/08/16/un-mouvement-gazier-appelle-a-tout-bloquer-en-france-le-10-septembre-20250816
[10] L'Équipe. (2025, August 17). Térence Atmane, le Français qui explose au tournoi de Cincinnati. Retrieved from https://www.lequipe.fr/tennis/tournoi/cincinnati/article/tennis-cincinnati-terence-atmane-francais-explose-au-tournoi-de-cincinnati/2278428
[11] Le Parisien. (2025, August 18). La justice française considère désormais les instigateurs comme complices dans les cas de streaming de pédocriminalité. Retrieved from https://www.leparisien.fr/justice/la-justice-francaise-considererait-desormais-les-instigateurs-comme-complices-dans-les-cas-de-streaming-de-pedocriminalite-20250818
[12] Ukrainian President's Office. (2025, August 19). Zelensky rejects territorial concessions in phone call with Trump. Retrieved from https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/zelensky-rejects-territorial-concessions-in-phone-call-with-trump
[13] Variety. (2025, August 20). Terence Stamp, 'Superman' and 'Teorema' Actor, Dies at 84. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2025/film/news/terence-stamp-superman-teorema-actor-dies-84-1235153818/
- Despite the focus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict in the summit and subsequent meetings, other global issues such as a French gas movement calling for a nationwide blockade on September 10 in opposition to budget cuts, and the death of British actor Terence Stamp, continue to evolve.
- In other news, thousands of Israelis are protesting in the streets, demanding a ceasefire agreement with Gaza to ensure the release of hostages.
- Meanwhile, in the world of sports, Térence Atmane, a French tennis player, is making headlines with his impressive performances in the Cincinnati tournament.
