Putin Woos Trump While US Leader Tempers Summit Expectations

Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to strengthen his rapport with Donald Trump ahead of their summit, praising the US leader’s efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine and dangling the promise of economic cooperation as well as a new arms control treaty.

The charm offensive from Putin, before he arrives on US soil for a face-to-face sit-down on Friday with the American president, sought to minimize the war — Europe’s deadliest conflict in decades — as a mere detail on the way to revitalizing ties between Washington and Moscow.