Ten Ways to Force Putin Back to the Bargaining Table

Vladimir Putin came to Alaska and got the red-carpet treatment, complete with a fighter- jet flyover and a warm presidential handshake. The state was an ironic location for a summit given Russia’s continuing seller’s remorse over having sold it to America in the mid-19th century. While expectations were low for a full ceasefire, most observers were hoping for at least a path to negotiations.

But as he has for months now, Putin simply continued to play rope-a-dope like a boxer in the ring, ducking both a ceasefire or even a demonstrated willingness to negotiate. A subdued President Donald Trump canceled a planned luncheon to discuss broader economic and security issues with Russia, uncharacteristically refused to take questions and flew back to DC to ponder next steps.