Monday Briefing: A Trump-Zelensky meeting
Good morning. We're covering President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House and a pause on U.S. visas for Gazans. Plus, an A.I. stuffed animal.
Ukrainian and E.U. leaders visit the White HousePresident Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is set to meet today with President Trump. Their sit-down comes shortly after Trump met with President Vladimir Putin of Russia and broke with allies to back Putin's proposed peace plan, which would require Ukraine to cede a large portion of territory. Here are the latest updates and what you need to know. European leaders — including Germany's chancellor, Friedrich Merz; President Emmanuel Macron of France; and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain — said they would accompany Zelensky in a show of solidarity. Trump's friendly meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday was a setback for Ukraine and its European allies. But Kyiv was left with one small glimmer of hope: a U.S. proposal to create security guarantees for Ukraine, designed to deter future Russian aggression. Context: Russia's proposal to end the war centers on persuading Ukraine to give up the Donbas, the industrial Russian-speaking region in the east. On the ground: Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes because of Russia's aerial bombardments called the Trump-Putin summit an insult.
The U.S. paused Gaza visas used for medical treatmentThe Trump administration said it had stopped approving visitor visas for people from Gaza, a key pathway for those seeking medical care in the U.S., including young children with serious conditions. The move came after an intense lobbying campaign by the right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who called the incoming flights a "national security threat" in a flurry of social media posts. She wields extraordinary power in Trump administration decisions. One Ohio-based group that aids Palestinian families and children said it had used the visas to evacuate 11 children to U.S. hospitals this month, many of whom had lost limbs in Gaza. Israel: Hundreds of thousands protested for an immediate cease-fire and release of hostages in Gaza, as the military prepared to expand its offensive.
Bolivia's phantom presidential candidateFormer President Evo Morales isn't on the ballot, but he's still trying to influence the outcome. Barred from running again and accused of impregnating a 15-year-old girl, Morales has been conducting a shadow campaign from a compound in the woods, as Bolivians vote in the first round of the country's presidential election. Morales, who has surrounded himself with devoted loyalists, is urging supporters to cast null votes in protest. His former leftist allies say that tactic could swing the election to Samuel Doria Medina, a center-right businessman, or Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, a conservative former president. Background: Morales, Bolivia's first Indigenous leader, reshaped the political landscape by giving marginalized Bolivians a voice. But his bid for a fourth term ended in unrest and temporary exile.
What if your child's teddy bear talked back? Silicon Valley start-ups are beginning to make stuffed animals with chatbots linked to an A.I. language model, calibrated to interact with young children. Curio, one of several A.I. toymakers, promotes toys like "Grem" as an alternative to screen time — but they may have unexpected consequences for parents. "Children already talk to their toys, with no expectation that they talk back," writes Amanda Hess, a Times critic at large. "As I fell into stilted conversation with Grem, I began to understand that it did not represent an upgrade to the lifeless teddy bear. It's more like a replacement for me." Read more here. Lives lived: Jackie Bezos, Jeff Bezos' mother and one of the first investors in Amazon, died at 78.
To fight the heat, Seville looks to the old waysEurope has been suffering through a miserable summer heat wave, and the southern Spanish city of Seville is no exception. But the city has a long history of sweating it out with common-sense coping mechanisms, like fabric awnings that can reduce temperatures by dozens of degrees, and the traditional siesta. Our reporter Jason Horowitz and a photographer were on the ground to see how the city is adapting to heat, with methods old and new. In one striking example, hospitals are being chilled by running cold water through pipes, a technique that dates back to Muslim caliphates in Spain more than 1,000 years ago. In a modern twist, the water is chilled further at night by flowing over slanted solar panels.
Churn: This easy vanilla ice cream recipe uses cream cheese for better scoopability. De-stress: Experts share their best tips to make sure your vacation is actually relaxing. Don't slouch: Try seven simple Pilates moves for better posture. Read: A food writer examines her Ukrainian heritage, family and war in a new memoir. Travel: Watch how a photographer finds stillness in busy Tokyo.
That's it for today. See you tomorrow. — Justin and Parin We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@nytimes.com.
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