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The stark divide between what Putin said and what he meant

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CNN
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There is often a gulf between what Russian President Vladimir Putin says and what he actually means.

Asked about the US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, Putin gave a long and convoluted answer during his Thursday news conference. Some sentences were made-for-TV, with short quotes that sounded very favorable – when seen out of context – to the Trump administration’s plan, which Ukraine has already agreed to.

Early on in his answer, Putin said “we agree with the proposal” – a quote that made headlines across the world. But he went on to make it clear that Moscow will not agree to an actual deal any time soon.

In his full response, Putin effectively shut down the idea – demanding concessions from Kyiv, raising numerous questions and repeating the maximalist demands that Russia has held since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Trump himself commented positively on Putin’s reaction to the ceasefire proposal, saying in an upbeat tone that it was “promising… but it wasn’t complete.”

But a closer look at what Putin said makes it clear that Russia is stalling and remains entrenched in its long-held positions:

“We agree with the proposal to cease hostilities but we have to bear in mind that this ceasefire must be aimed at a long-lasting peace and it must look at the root causes of the crisis.” – Putin

It’s not the first time Putin has urged eliminating what he calls the “root causes” of the war, and the Kremlin has previously claimed the current democratically elected Ukrainian government is part of those.

One of the Kremlin’s rationales for the war was that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s election was illegitimate.

Putin would instead like to see a pro-Russian leader installed in Ukraine. (In recent weeks, Trump has echoed the Kremlin’s calls for Zelensky to be replaced, going as far as claiming that the Ukrainian president is a dictator.)

The “root causes” also refer to the Kremlin’s claims that Russia is threatened by NATO expansion after the Cold War. That reflects Putin’s desire to see the military alliance withdraw from former Communist states that were part of the Soviet sphere of influence, such as Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic.

A resident walks at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine on March 8.

In the past, he has falsely claimed that NATO made a commitment not to expand eastwards after the fall of the USSR. In fact, NATO has always had an open-door policy.

Putin has repeatedly used NATO as an excuse for his invasion of Ukraine and demanded that Kyiv is blocked from joining the alliance and accept permanent neutrality.

“To Putin, the ‘root cause’ of the conflict is Ukraine’s desire to be an independent country and choose its own path in domestic and foreign policy,” said Brian Taylor, a political science professor at Syracuse University. “Further, he pointed to ‘nuances’ and proceeded to ask at least 16 questions about the details of any ceasefire agreement.”

“Who will give orders to cease hostilities and what will be the price? Who will determine who violated it where and how over a 2,000- kilometer (1,200-mile) stretch (of the frontline)? And who will blame this violation on whom later? These are all questions that require painstaking research from both sides.” – Putin

The Russian president questioning how a ceasefire would be implemented effectively restates his opposition to European proposals to put peacekeeping forces on the ground in Ukraine in the event of a deal.

The Kremlin has previously said it would be unacceptable for troops from NATO countries to be present in Ukraine, even under national flags. On Thursday, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson went further, saying Moscow would consider “any” foreign military presence in Ukraine “unacceptable.”

The Druzhba hotel was badly damaged after a Russian missile attack on March 12 in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine.

Putin then called for “painstaking research from both sides” suggests that he intends to drag out negotiations for a long time.

His stalling could be a tactic to buy time for Russia’s advancement in the Kursk region, where Ukraine still occupies some territory. Russian forces have made swift moves this week to reclaim ground in Kursk, which could remove one of Kyiv’s only bargaining chips as peace talks progress.

“Regarding Ukraine’s readiness to cease hostilities –- you know, the American-Ukrainian meeting in Saudi Arabia may outwardly look like a decision made by the Ukrainian side under American pressure. But in fact, I am absolutely convinced that the Ukrainian side should have asked the Americans for this in the most insistent manner, based on the situation that is developing on the ground.” – Putin

Here, Putin is arguing that Ukraine – not the United States – is actually the side pressing for a ceasefire.

The Trump administration, however, has repeatedly emphasized its desire for a quick resolution to the war and publicly said Ukraine doesn’t hold any cards in the peace negotiations. “I think we’re going to be in very good shape to get it done. We want to get it over with,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday night after Putin made his comments.

Putin reiterated at several times during his Thursday news conference the Kremlin’s argument that a temporary 30-day ceasefire would benefit Ukraine, potentially allowing the country to regroup and have more weapons delivered. (Russia would also benefit from regrouping.)

Firefighters work at the site of a Russian drone strike in Odesa, Ukraine on March 11.

That may be an attempt to further the idea that Zelensky doesn’t want to achieve long-term peace – a narrative Russia is pushing despite invading Ukraine unprovoked in 2014 and launching a full-scale invasion in 2022.

“It seems to me that it would be very good for the Ukrainian side to achieve a truce for at least 30 days and we are all for it, but there are nuances.” – Putin

Saying Russia is “all for it” but then calling for drawn-out negotiations and a discussion of “nuances” is a good reflection of Putin’s position on a ceasefire:

Did the Russian leader want to sound favorable to Trump, expressing solidarity with his position? Yes.

Did Russia actually shift on any of its previous demands? It doesn’t appear so.

“Putin’s answer seems carefully crafted to sound like a ‘yes’ to Trump but be a ‘no’ in practice, unless Ukraine is forced to submit to Russia’s demands,” Syracuse’s Taylor said.



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Europe

American Coco Gauff ousted in the opening round at Wimbledon in a shocking upset

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CNN
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No. 2 seed Coco Gauff was shockingly upset at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships on Tuesday as Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska defeated the Roland Garros champion 7-6(3), 6-1.

The world No. 42 was in control throughout the first set tiebreak and appeared very comfortable against Gauff, who typically dominates opponents in the early rounds.

The two-time grand slam winner appeared tight and unusually conservative with her strong forehand and serving, which let her down on Court No. 1. She double-faulted nine times in the match. The Ukrainian stroked 16 winners compared to just six from the American.

On match point, Yastremska’s deep forehand forced Gauff into an unforced error, to which the 25-year-old let out a victorious primal scream.

The pair embraced at the net with Gauff quickly gathering her rackets while waving to the crowd as she walked off the court. Yastremska basked in the upset victory – the biggest win of her career.

Gauff’s loss, along with Jessica Pegula’s defeat, marked the first time in women’s major history in the Open Era that two of the top three seeds lost in the first round.

Gauff has never made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Coco Gauff struggled to find her form throughout Tuesday's match.

After the match, the Ukrainian star, who reached the 2024 Australian Open semifinal, acknowledged that she brought the heat to the All England Club.

“I was really on fire. I even have fire on my nails,” she said while holding up her fingers for the crowd and cameras to see.

Yastremska said playing Gauff is always special and was thankful for the support.

“These courts are made for the greatest players, so I’m very grateful to be on this court,” she said while the crowd clapped. “I’m actually enjoying really a lot being on the court and I love playing on grass. I feel that this year we are kind of friends,” she said with a smile.

“I hope that the road will continue for me here.”

Gauff, who has now lost in the first round at Wimbledon two of the last three years, wasn’t blaming the grass surface but noted this was her first experience managing preparation and schedule after winning the French Open just over three weeks ago.

“I felt like mentally I was a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards,” she said after the upset loss.

“So, I didn’t feel like I had that enough time to do, I guess, celebrate and then also get back into it. But it’s the first time of this experience of coming off a win and having to play Wimbledon and I definitely learned a lot of what I would and would not do again.”

Gauff also gave credit to Yastremska’s performance.

“She played great. I mean, I saw the draw and knew it would be a tough match for me,” she said.



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The weather phenomenon behind the European heat wave

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A marine heat wave in the Mediterranean Sea is combining with a powerful heat dome to cause Europe to swelter under a brutal early summer heat wave.

It’s a pattern that’s popping up frequently as the planet warms: The influence of Mediterranean marine heat waves has been more pronounced in recent summers, with the ocean heat playing a role in spiking temperatures on land, contributing to deadly floods and stoking devastating fires.

Water temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea are up to 9 degrees above average for this time of year amid a significant marine heat wave. The most intense warming is present in the western Mediterranean, including just south of France.

This is helping to cause high humidity to surge north and to keep temperatures elevated at night across the heat wave-affected regions.

The heat wave, which also involves hot air flowing north from Africa, is also reinforcing the marine heat wave in a feedback cycle.

People take advantage of water mist fountains in Valencia, Spain on June 21, 2025, as parts of the country experience a heatwave.
Pedestrians walk past a pharmacy sign showing 39 degrees celsius (86 Fahreneheit) as high temperatures hit Lisbon, Portugal on June 28, 2025.

Temperatures have broken records in Spain and Portugal as swaths of Europe brace for more records to fall through Wednesday as the heat wave intensifies.

The town of El Granado in Spain saw temperatures spike to 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, a new national record for June, according to Spain’s national meteorological service AEMET. Last month was Spain’s hottest June in recorded history, as temperatures “pulverized records,” Aemet said Tuesday.

In Portugal, a provisional temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius (115.9 Fahrenheit) was recorded in the city of Mora, about 80 miles east of Lisbon, according to the country’s weather service IPMA, which would be a new national record for June.

Scorching heat is sweeping almost the entirety of France. Multiple towns and cities endured temperatures above 100 degrees on Monday, according to provisional recordings from Météo France.

A red heat wave warning, the highest designation, is in place for 16 French départements Tuesday, including Île-de-France, where Paris is located. The Eiffel Tower summit is closed to tourists Tuesday and Wednesday due to the heat.

The United Kingdom is also baking, currently enduring its second heat wave of the summer. Temperatures pushed above 90 degrees on Monday, making for very uncomfortable conditions in a country where fewer than 5% of homes have air conditioning.

Wimbledon tennis spectators use handheld fans to cool themselves down during the first round match between Russia's Daniil Medvedev and France's Benjamin Bonzi in London, on 30 June 2025.
Smoke and flames from wildfires in Seferihisar district of Izmir, Turkiye on June 30, 2025.

“The current June-July heatwave is exposing millions of Europeans to high heat stress,” Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, said in a statement.

“The temperatures observed recently are more typical of the months of July and August and tend to only happen a few times each summer.”

Wildfires are sweeping several countries as the temperatures spike. Fires broke out Sunday in Aude, in the southwest of the country, burning nearly 400 acres. In Turkey, 50,000 people have been evacuated as firefighters tackle fierce blazes mostly in the western Izmir and Manisa provinces.

Temperature records are also poised to fall Tuesday and Wednesday in Germany as the heat dome expands east, and before a series of relief-providing cold fronts begin to swing into northwestern Europe from the west.

Human-caused climate change is causing heat waves to be more frequent, intense and long-lasting. Europe is the fastest-warming continent, and is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world. Climate change is also leading to more frequent and intense marine heat waves.



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3 times Trump’s tariffs worked

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CNN
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President Donald Trump’s tariffs are designed to boost US manufacturing, restore the balance of trade and fill America’s coffers with tax dollars. The White House’s record on those three goals has been a decidedly mixed bag.

But Trump has a fourth way that he likes to use tariffs. Trump has repeatedly threatened tariffs as a kind of anvil dangling over the heads of countries, companies or industries.

The subjects of Trump’s tariff threats have, at times, immediately come to the negotiating table. Sometimes, threats just work.

The most recent example was over the weekend, when Canada backed off its digital services tax that was set to go into effect Monday. Trump had railed against the tax on online companies, including US corporations that do business in Canada. On Friday, he threatened to end trade talks with America’s northern neighbor. Trump also said he would set a new tariff for Canada by the end of this week.

On Sunday, Canada backed down, saying it would drop the tax to help bring the countries back to the table.

“To support those negotiations, the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced today that Canada would rescind the Digital Services Tax (DST) in anticipation of a mutually beneficial comprehensive trade arrangement with the United States,” the Canadian government said in a statement.

On Monday, United States and Canada restarted trade discussions.

“It’s part of a bigger negotiation,” said Prime Minister Mark Carney in a press conference Monday. “It’s something that we expected, in the broader sense, that would be part of a final deal. We’re making progress toward a final deal.”

Trump’s first tariff action of his second term came against Colombia after President Gustavo Petro in late January blocked US military flights carrying undocumented migrants from landing as part of Trump’s mass deportation effort.

In turn, Trump threatened 25% tariffs on Colombian exports that would grow to 50% if the country didn’t accept deportees from the United States.

Colombia quickly walked back its refusal and reached an agreement to accept deported migrants.

“You can’t go out there and publicly defy us in that way,” a Trump administration official told CNN in January. “We’re going to make sure the world knows they can’t get away with being nonserious and deceptive.”

Trump ultimately dropped the tariff threat.

Citing a lack of progress in trade negotiations, Trump in late May said he was calling off talks with the European Union and would instead just impose a 50% tariff on all goods from there.

“Our discussions with them are going nowhere!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on May 23. Later that day in the Oval Office, Trump said he was no longer looking for a deal with the EU.

But three days later, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke with Trump and said the EU would fast-track a deal with the United States. Trump then delayed the 50% tariff deadline until July 9.

Although a deal hasn’t yet come through, Trump’s threat got Europe to get serious, in the White House’s view, on trade, when it had been slow-walking negotiations, trying to get a consensus from its dozens of members.

The Trump administration attributes a large number of corporate investments in the United State to its tariffs and tariff threats, although it’s often hard to draw a clear line from Trump’s trade policy to a particular company announcing it will build an American factory. Those decisions often take years of planning and are costly processes.

For example, shortly after Trump doubled down on steel and aluminum tariffs and included finished products like dishwashers and washing machines in the 50% tariff, GE Appliances said it would move production from China to Kentucky. The company said it had planned the move before Trump announced the derivative product tariffs – but Trump’s trade war accelerated its plans.

In some other cases, Trump’s threats have largely gone nowhere.

Furious with Apple CEO Tim Cook for announcing the company would export iPhones to the United States from India – rather than building an iPhone factory in the United States – Trump announced a 25% tariff on all Apple products imported to the United States. He threatened the same against Samsung.

But Trump never followed through with his threat, and Apple and Samsung haven’t budged on their insistence that complex smartphone manufacturing just isn’t practical or possible in the United States. Skilled manufacturing labor for that kind of complex work isn’t readily available in the United States – and those who do have those capabilities charge much more to work here than their peers charge in other countries. Complying with Trump’s demands could add thousands of dollars to the cost of a single smartphone – more than Trump’s threatened tariff.

Trump similarly threatened Hollywood in May with a 100% tariff on movies made outside the United States. That left many media executives scratching their heads, trying to figure out what the threat entailed – a threat that ultimately never materialized. The administration later acknowledged Trump’s statement about the tariff was merely a proposal, and it was eager to hear from the industry about how to bring lost production back to Hollywood.

Nevertheless, Trump’s threats against the movie industry raised awareness about the bipartisan issue, and California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom subsequently posted support for a partnership with the Trump administration to incentivize movie and television makers to film in the state again.

Trump’s threats don’t always work, and sometimes his tariffs have kicked off a trade war, raising prices in a tit-for-tat tariff escalation. But a handful of times, including this weekend, his tariff threats have gotten America’s trading partners to agree to major concessions.

CNN’s Luciana Lopez and Michael Rios contributed to this report.



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