Normally, foreign policy summits between world leaders involve painstaking planning and organization days and weeks in advance. The hectic and last minute nature of the meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska provided a window into how so much of what’s happening to try and end a brutal war in Ukraine, is being made up on the fly.

NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly, who has covered her share of high stakes diplomatic meetings between some of the world’s most powerful people, spoke with Scott Detrow about what was different this time.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or atplus.npr.org. 

Email us at [email protected].

This episode was produced by Kira Wakeam. It was edited by Sarah Robbins and Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy