Next week, US President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki to talk shop. Phil and Cooper, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after a week off, jump headfirst into the summit, discussing recent tensions and how this summit relates to the Middle East, specifically Syria. Also, friend of the pod and Al-Monitor’s Russia-Mideast editor Max Suchkov joins us from Moscow to give his expert analysis.

• Bolton lays ground for Trump, Putin summit (Max Suchkov)
• Russia, Jordan discuss Syria in run-up to Trump-Putin summit (Marianna Belenkaya)
• Can Russia deliver on Trump’s hope of ousting Iran from Syria? (Kirill Semenov)
• South Syria offensive rages as thousands flee (Tamer Osman)

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