Good morning. We're covering Trump's phone call with Putin and the results of important elections in Europe. Plus, the return of a spy's archives.
A two-hour Trump-Putin phone callPresident Vladimir Putin of Russia told reporters after his call with President Trump yesterday that he was ready to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine, but he repeated his demand for broad concessions. Trump offered a more optimistic take on the call. Trump said on social media that the call, which lasted two hours, "went very well," and that Russia and Ukraine would "immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War." He added that he had also spoken with Ukraine's president and with European leaders. The high-stakes call came amid growing impatience in the Trump administration with Putin's refusal to agree to an immediate cease-fire, despite Ukraine's readiness to do so. Vice President JD Vance earlier in the day questioned Putin's position. "I'm not sure that Vladimir Putin has a strategy himself for how to unwind the war," he said. Prisoner release: Putin and Trump also discussed a potential nine-for-nine prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, Putin's foreign policy adviser told Russian news agencies. Military buildup: Russia has been beefing up bases near the Finnish border, and analysts predict the area could become a hot spot.
Centrists held off the right in Eastern EuropePresidential elections on Sunday in Romania and Poland halted, or at least slowed, a hard-right breakthrough that many liberals had feared. Nicusor Dan, a centrist mayor, upset a Trump-aligned nationalist to clinch a victory in Romania. The liberal mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, appeared to narrowly win a first-round vote against a hard-right candidate. Dan confounded expectations of a sharp right turn in Romania by winning 54 percent of the vote. Poland delivered a far less emphatic rebuff to nationalism, and the race is headed to a runoff on June 1, in which Trzaskowski's victory is far from assured. Portugal: The center-right Democratic Alliance won Sunday's snap election and will continue ruling as a minority government. But the hard-right party Chega won over 22 percent of the vote, positioning itself to be a potent movement.
Israel let some aid into GazaIsrael allowed a few trucks of food to enter Gaza yesterday after a two-month blockade that threatened to lead to famine. And despite Israel's promise of an escalating ground operation, the advance had yet to begin, even though the past few days of bombardments have been particularly deadly for Palestinians. The lack of strategic clarity reflects disagreements within Israel's leadership. Here's what we know about the situation on the ground.
Go deeper
Israel has been working for decades to recover the remains of Eli Cohen, one of its most famous spies, who was executed in Syria in 1965. This week, it came one step closer. Israel's intelligence agency, the Mossad, brought back from Syria 2,500 items from Cohen's years undercover, including documents and personal artifacts. Read about what they found. Lives lived: Jonnie Boer steered his restaurant, De Librije, in the Netherlands, to wide acclaim with ingredients plucked from nearby streams and fields. He died at 60.
Warm up like the starsMany of us have a prework routine, like meditating or maybe having a coffee. These activities can help us perform better. We asked some creative professionals to share their favorite warm-up rituals. Jeff Daniels said that he recites a diaphragm exercise ("budda-gudda budda-gudda"). The Tony Award-nominee Marjan Neshat tries to find a perfume for her characters. The "Let's Make a Deal" host Wayne Brady blows bubbles. Check out the rest.
Cook: This Thai-inspired skillet meal pairs ground turkey with sugar snap peas and fresh herbs. Watch: The Netflix mini-series "Sirens" showcases bad vibes in a stunning location. Read: Our critic recommends these three nerve-shredding thrillers. Travel: Leaving your phone at home can make your trip more rewarding. Cope: Here's how exercise can help you manage your blood sugar. Play: Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here. That's it for today. See you tomorrow. — Emmett We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@nytimes.com.
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