Putin heads to Alaska, marking his first visit to the US in a decade and his first meeting with a US president since June 2021, when he shook hands with Biden in Geneva
Keen to keep the US president in their good graces, member states agree to contribute more to the alliance's budget, but fail to secure firm pledges on supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia
The bonds between Japan and the Middle East are based on trust and respect, since both seek peace and stability in the region. In these newly dangerous times, that bond is even more important.
Now that a rare earths deal has finally been clinched between Kyiv and Washington, Russia may find that the US is less inclined to give in to its demands to end the war in Ukraine
Regional states have come to the realisation that fighting 'axis' members individually will have little effect, and any tactical success will likely be short-lived