Thursday Briefing: Trump and Putin discuss an end to Ukraine war

February 13, 2025

	By Emmett Lindner

Good morning. We’re covering President Trump’s call with Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi’s White House visit.

Plus, Thailand braces for the “White Lotus” effect.

Vladimir Putin is shown speaking at a table with sheets of paper in front of him.

President Vladimir Putin in a photo released by Russian state media. Kristina Kormilitsyna/Sputnik

Trump and Putin discussed ending the war in Ukraine

President Trump said yesterday that he had a “highly productive” call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, characterizing it as the beginning of a negotiation to end the war in Ukraine.

Afterward, Trump said he spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. For Putin, the talk was a major milestone, marking the collapse of Western efforts to isolate him diplomatically over the invasion of Ukraine.

Trump did not say how Ukraine’s interests would factor into the negotiations. But hours before the phone call, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said at a NATO meeting in Brussels that it was “unrealistic” for Ukraine to expect a peace deal that would restore its pre-2014 borders. Trump, he added, does not support Ukraine’s membership in NATO as part of a realistic peace plan.

Background: Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and backed a pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine before carrying out a full-scale invasion in 2022. Russia now occupies about 20 percent of Ukraine.

Minerals deal: Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources have become a prominent component in the maneuvering over the country’s future after Trump pushed the idea of trading U.S. aid for Ukrainian minerals. The U.S. treasury secretary was in Kyiv for talks about a possible deal.

At the front: Our reporters interviewed Russian soldiers who said they face a brutal battle to dislodge Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region inside Russia. Trapped civilians fear catastrophe.

More on Trump

The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard, who has shown a pro-Russia stance, to be the next director of national intelligence.
Republican lawmakers have cheered for Trump’s spending cuts, even as they quietly moved to get exemptions for their own states.

The Trump administration is preparing to release Alexander Vinnik, a Russian cybercriminal, as part of a prisoner exchange.
Belarus released a U.S. prisoner and two others from jail, following what diplomats said was a secret visit by a senior U.S. official.
When will China’s leader speak to Trump? Xi Jinping seems to be in no rush.
For refugees in Myanmar, their dreams of living in the U.S. have been dashed by Trump’s refugee suspension and foreign aid freeze.
This is where Trump, Elon Musk and the government efficiency effort have cut federal workers.
Track Trump’s actions since taking office.

President Trump walks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India on a portico with white pillars.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s White House visit in 2017. Doug Mills The New York Times

Modi hopes to keep India off Trump’s target list

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to try to ease any potential friction between the U.S. and India when he meets with President Trump today in Washington. Modi has spoken of a warm relationship with the president, but Trump can be a fickle friend.

A pair of glaring issues could complicate Modi’s goals: trade and immigration. Modi “will be trying to show Trump that he is cooperating on his fixation on tariffs and illegal immigration,” Mujib Mashal, our South Asia bureau chief, told me. “Trump has singled out India as one of the main abusers of tariffs that enjoys a trade deficit with the U.S., mentioning India in the same breath as China.”

India’s trade surplus with the U.S. is growing, and Modi could offer lower duties on U.S. goods like bourbon and pecans, which are produced mainly in Republican states.

Deportations: India is also the largest source of illegal immigration to the U.S. outside of Latin America. Modi’s government has made clear it will cooperate with Trump’s deportation effort, even as it caused an uproar in India last week.

Crossing the River Tarra from Colombia into Venezuela, last month. Federico Rios Escobar for The New York Times

Venezuela is helping fuel violence in Colombia

In northeast Colombia, 54,000 people fled their homes, and at least 80 people died in a matter of days this month, as two rebel groups fought for territory.

The violence has its roots in disputes over land and drug money, but diplomats, analysts and Colombia’s president say there is a new factor at play. One of the rebel groups, the National Liberation Army, or ELN, has found refuge in neighboring Venezuela, which is being used as a base to unleash a new wave of destruction in Colombia.

MORE TOP NEWS

Two young women sitting looking at their phones.

Checking news updates about hostages in Tel Aviv, last month. Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times

Middle East

Gaza: As the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is under threat of collapse, the fate of hostages who were to be released has become ever more precarious.

Diplomacy: Jordan and Egypt are moving with speed to try to dissuade President Trump from forcing them to take in Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
West Bank: Our video journalists reported on the escalating violence that has left Palestinian civilians caught in the fighting.

Elsewhere

Bangladesh: A U.N. report said the death toll from the crackdown on student protesters last year was as many as 1,400, much higher than previously estimated.
Austria: An effort by the head of the far-right Freedom Party to form a coalition government collapsed over disagreements on migration and national security.
U.S.: A snowstorm in Virginia left 180,000 customers without power. More than 900 traffic accidents were reported.
Energy: Chevron, the second-largest U.S. oil company, said that it would cut as many as 9,000 workers worldwide in an effort to cut costs.
A.I.: The Chinese start-up DeepSeek used several technological tricks to build its system with less money.

Health: New research found that taking drugs like Ozempic can help curb alcohol cravings.
Science: An undersea telescope that looks like something from a sci-fi film detected an elusive particle that could help explain a mystery of space.

Sports

Soccer: Aston Villa’s Austin MacPhee has been appointed the assistant coach of Portugal.
Tennis: Iga Swiatek talks about her vision for her future in the sport and says she’s getting back to her roots.
Formula 1: Why the race for U.S. streaming rights could change the sport.

MORNING READ

People stand in the surf of a turquoise sea with forested hills covered with villas and other buildings in the background.

Chaweng Beach in Koh Samui, Thailand. Tanveer Badal for The New York Times

The new season of “The White Lotus,” a series about wealthy tourists in a skewed paradise, takes place on the resort island of Koh Samui in Thailand. Crowds have flocked to the locations of seasons past, and this year is no different: With a wave of visitors set to arrive, the roughly 68,000 residents of the island are about to get familiar with the “White Lotus” effect.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

A black dog is seen from the shoulders up while sitting between a woman in a white suit and a silver trophy.

Graham Dickie/The New York Times

Best in show: Monty, a giant schnauzer, was top-ranked at the Westminster Dog Show, but several other pooches had unforgettable looks.
Far from home: Scientists spotted a black seadevil anglerfish near the ocean’s surface. Its proper place is in the crushing depths of the sea.
Oscars in chaos: The last two tumultuous weeks have upended the awards race. The sure thing has been hobbled and long-shots are looking like bull’s eyes.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times .

ARTS AND IDEAS

Close up image of two people holding hands.

Jarod Lew for The New York Times

How do we fall (and stay) in love?

For Valentine’s Day, the “Modern Love” podcast asked readers to share the moments they knew they were falling in love. Their stories spanned decades and regions.

The team also revisited one of the most iconic stories they have ever published: Mandy Len Catron’s piece about the 36 questions that can help us fall in love. Mandy joined the podcast to provide an update on her romance and to read her essay, which starts on a bridge at midnight, “staring into a man’s eyes for exactly four minutes.”

Listen to the podcast and read Mandy’s original essay here.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Top down view of chicken and chickpeas on a tray with peppers, potatoes and parsley.

Linda Xiao for The New York Times

Cook: This easy chicken sheet-pan supper brings bold flavors with minimal fuss.

Read: “Cerebral Entanglements” is breathlessly excited about our brains and how they work.

Travel: Japan is enjoying a banner ski season. We have a guide on where to go.

Sleep: Working the night shift? Here’s how to take care of yourself.

Play: Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow. — Emmett

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