NBC Meet the Press Meet the Press NOW — August 15
Aug 15, 2025
Keir Simmons, NBC News Chief International Correspondent, joins Evelyn Farkas, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia and Ukraine, along with Andrea Mitchell and Garrett Haake. They dive into President Trump's summit with Putin in Anchorage, analyzing the high-stakes diplomatic dynamics. The group discusses the absence of Ukraine's President Zelensky and the implications of such exclusion. They also critique Trump's unpredictable negotiation style against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions, emphasizing the fragile hope for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
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Spectacle Raises Diplomatic Stakes
- The Alaska summit's theatrical optics significantly raised the stakes and made Trump more personally invested in resolving Ukraine.
- Public displays like the red carpet and shared motorcade can reshape diplomatic expectations and domestic political narratives.
Body Language Became A Message
- Putin's visible grin and comportment in shared moments with Trump grabbed global attention and unnerved allies.
- Small unscripted moments can become powerful symbols shaping perceptions of strength and leverage.
Protocol Versus Principle
- Respectful protocol collided with moral concern as guests debated rolling out a red carpet for a leader accused of war crimes.
- Those optics matter to Ukrainians and allies who view such treatment as legitimizing Putin.