President Donald Trump has failed to secure an agreement from Vladimir Putin to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, falling short in his most significant move yet to stop the bloodshed, even after rolling out the red carpet for the man who started it.

The U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska is happening at a site where East meets West in a place familiar to both countries as a Cold War front line of missile defense, radar outposts and intelligence gathering.

Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran.

By making harsh, uncompromising demands in peace talks with Ukraine while continuing to pummel it with waves of missiles and drones, Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending a clear message: He will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they’re met.

Ukraine’s consent to a 30-day ceasefire proposal has handed the Kremlin a difficult challenge at a time when its military has an upper hand in the war.

Questions are swirling in Burkina Faso about what role Russia may have played in the West African nation's second coup this year.