The new Trump foreign policy team has brought a dizzying message to European allies on A.I., Ukraine and more. It has already left many angered and chagrined.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and European defense ministers had expressed concern that they might not be present for talks between President Trump and Russiaβs leader to end the war.
The Kremlin freed Marc Fogel, a teacher held for more than three years on drug charges, in a deal negotiated by Steve Witkoff, President Trumpβs Middle East envoy.
The arrival of the first top Russian diplomat in Damascus since Bashar al-Assadβs fall kicks off negotiations over the fate of Moscowβs bases in Syria.
The mayor, Vitali Klitschko, who has had a tense relationship with President Volodymyr Zelensky, accused him of trying to usurp the powers of elected officials in the capital.
President Trump jabs at the Russian leader with threats; Vladimir Putin responds with flattery. But there are notable signals in their jousting, including a revived discussion about nuclear arms control.
Russiaβs president flattered his American counterpart as βsmartβ and βpragmatic,β and repeated Mr. Trumpβs baseless claim that the 2020 election was stolen.
The high popularity that the Ukrainian president had in the early days of the Russian invasion, with an approval rating of about 90 percent, has dipped badly.
Mr. Rubio expressed views aligned with those of most senators who work on foreign policy, while taking care not to break from Donald J. Trumpβs unorthodox ideas.
Russiaβs president is said to have blamed birds or a Ukrainian drone for a Dec. 25 crash of an Azerbaijani plane. Azerbaijan says Russian air defenses were at fault.
The White House scrambled to get a message to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia last year after U.S. intelligence agencies said a Russian military unit was preparing to send explosive packages on cargo planes.
The president-elect had said Russiaβs leader wanted to meet him to discuss the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said it welcomed such dialogue, but a meeting could occur only after Mr. Trump took office.
In the crashβs aftermath, Azerbaijan has unleashed rare and stinging criticism of Russia, with the countryβs president saying Moscowβs response has caused βsurprise, regret and rightful indignation.β