Best Westminster Institute Talks Podcasts (2025)

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Who does the Tony Blair Institute really work for? 43:05

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8m ago43:05

43:05

Since 2021, billionaire Larry Ellison’s personal foundation has donated or pledged at least £257m to the Tony Blair Institute. This took the former PM’s think tank to a whole new level: it now has over 900 staff and is working across at least 45 countries. But who, exactly, does it work for? Will Lloyd is joined by Peter Geoghegan and May Bulman wh…

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Liz Truss is still, in some sense, running the country 27:11

18m ago27:11

27:11

Three years ago, Liz Truss announced her “mini”-Budget. Since then, the phrase “crashed the economy” has been used 238 times in the Commons. It can be found just three times in the records before then. Will Dunn sat down with the former PM for an exclusive interview. He joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss Truss's lasting impact on the economy. LISTEN…

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Andy Burnham has a plan for Britain 1:08:58

8m ago1:08:58

1:08:58

Inside his Manchester kingdom, Labour’s prince across the water outlined his radical blueprint to the New Statesman's editor, Tom McTague. Tom McTague joins Will Lloyd to discuss the mayor's vision. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics ne…

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Sir Nick Clegg in conversation: Big tech, AI and political conflict 1:03:20

2h ago1:03:20

1:03:20

The former deputy prime minister, in his only fringe event at this year’s Liberal Democrat conference, spoke to IfG director Hannah White about Keir Starmer’s Donald Trump strategy, Elon Musk’s interventions in British politics, the AI challenge, and how centre left parties can fight back against the rise of populism. Learn more about your ad choic…

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Ed Davey attacks Trump, Trump attacks world 31:29

21m ago31:29

31:29

Ed Davey came out swinging at the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth this week, saying "Reform wants Britain to be like Trump’s America." He said it was the Lib Dem’s moral duty to defeat Nigel Farage, and warned that over in the US, people are "really fearful for democracy." Meanwhile, at the UN General Assembly in New York, Trump was firing on all…

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Britain recognises Palestinian statehood 20:52

17h ago20:52

20:52

This weekend Keir Starmer announced that the UK has formally recognised Palestine as an independent state. The Prime Minister said, "In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution." Benjamin Netanyahu called the decision “absurd” and “a reward for terrorism”. This w…

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Reform's deportations & Your Party's implosion 17:34

1d ago17:34

17:34

Nigel Farage has escalated Reform’s approach to the deportation of migrants, announcing that his party would abolish indefinite leave to remain should they take power … and Zarah Sultana drops her legal threats against fellow Your Party founder, Jeremy Corbyn. Hannah Barnes is joined by Megan Kenyon and Ethan Croft. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the Ne…

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Has history overlooked the enslaved who fought for freedom? | Sudhir Hazareesingh interview 33:15

7d ago33:15

33:15

The abolition of the slave trade and of slavery itself in the 19th Century is generally understood to have been instigated by European and American abolitionists. However, has history overlooked how the enslaved themselves resisted their oppressors? Author and politics tutor at Oxford University, Sudhir Hazareesingh, has explored these stories of r…

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The US has bought Britain 31:46

5d ago31:46

31:46

The US dollar is about to flood Britain. American firms have pledged £150bn worth of investment in the UK, the government celebrates this as part of a wider plan to deepen economic ties with the US. But is there a bigger cost? As the pound flows back across the Atlantic, are we slowly but surely becoming American? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andr…

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Your Party meltdown 26:54

6d ago26:54

26:54

Donald Trump and Keir Starmer have just finished their joint press conference from Chequers, drawing a close to the US president’s state visit. Andrew Marr and Will Dunn will be joining Anoosh tomorrow on the podcast to discuss what these deals mean for Britain as dollars and pounds wash across the Atlantic Ocean - but today we’re looking at someth…

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Can Zohran Mamdani save the American left? 46:03

7d ago46:03

46:03

Zohran Mamdani has upended New York City politics – and potentially revitalised the American left. Born in Uganda, raised in Manhattan - the socialist mayoral candidate has captivated voters with his viral social media videos and progressive policies. He became the democratic nominee this June, beating political veteran and former governor of New Y…

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How progress ends: the fate of nations, with Carl Benedikt Frey 37:08

7d ago37:08

37:08

Many people expect improvements in technology over the next few years, but fewer people are optimistic about improvements in the economy. Especially in Europe, there’s a narrative that productivity has stalled, that the welfare state is over-stretched, and that the regions of the world where innovation will be rewarded are the US and China – althou…

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Trump, Starmer and Mandelson don't walk into a banquet 37:57

8d ago37:57

37:57

Trump is arriving in the UK today for his much anticipated state visit. Rachel Cunliffe and Will Lloyd look at how it might play out in the aftermath of the emergency debate which took place in parliament this afternoon concerning the appointment of Peter Mandelson. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask …

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Tommy Robinson's protests & Danny Kruger's defection 32:26

9d ago32:26

32:26

This weekend more than 110,000 people from across the country took part in a far-right protest in central London organised by the activist Tommy Robinson - in his words, to “Unite the Kingdom”. This is thought to be the largest nationalist event in decades. St George’s flags flooded the streets, speakers including Katie Hopkins and Elon Musk were p…

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Navigating a Contested Age: Chiefly Reflections of Admiral Sir Tony Radakin 1:09:50

9d ago1:09:50

1:09:50

With European nations now spending more on defence than America for the first time since the Second World War, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin explored how the end of the peace dividend is creating new dilemmas for the political class and what this means for the Whitehall machine. In his first speech since stepping down as head of the armed forces, Admira…

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Are politicians LARPing? | Listener questions 16:23

13d ago16:23

16:23

Are the Greens ‘anarchists’? Has British politics become Americanised? And why was Theresa May prime minister? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions and explain LARPing to Andrew Marr. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Ge…

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Where does JK Rowling get the time to obsess about me? | Nicola Sturgeon interview 58:57

11d ago58:57

58:57

In power for nearly a decade, Nicola Sturgeon is Scotland’s longest-serving First Minister. She reshaped Scottish politics, leading the SNP through moments of crisis and opportunity, from the 2014 independence referendum to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since stepping down in 2023, Sturgeon has remained a powerful and sometimes polarising figure in public…

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Delivering the government’s economic growth mission: What is the role of the industrial strategy? 1:04:21

12d ago1:04:21

1:04:21

The industrial strategy has emerged after a long gestation, with June’s white paper containing an exhaustive list of policy commitments intended to deliver Labour’s promise to “lay the foundation for a decade of growth”, create hundreds of thousands of clean energy jobs, ensure that every region thrives, and put Britain “at the forefront of the tec…

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Political violence becomes mainstream in the US 24:11

12d ago24:11

24:11

Earlier this week the prominent right-wing activist, and close Trump-ally, Charlie Kirk was shot during a public appearance in Utah. Graphic videos of the shooting immediately circulated online and his death was soon confirmed by Donald Trump. While many politicians across the spectrum have denounced the killing of Charlie Kirk - Trump has blamed w…

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Starmer's mess 19:26

13d ago19:26

19:26

Following the disarray caused by Angela Rayner’s resignation and the sacking of Peter Mandelson, Keir Starmer’s latest reset is a mess. His newly reshuffled cabinet appears to be largely a response to the very real threat of Nigel Farage. It seems, to his critics, that the Prime Minister is drawn to Reform’s magnetic force to the right. But what do…

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Mandelson and the friends he keeps 19:12

14d ago19:12

19:12

This week in part of an ongoing battle for the release of the “Epstein files”, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released a trove of documents related to the pedophile financier. This comprised his will and personal address book - but generating the most controversy is an alleged "birthday book" given to Epstein in 2003 celebrating his fif…

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From protest to power: How can Reform's locally elected leaders govern effectively? 1:03:45

14d ago1:03:45

1:03:45

At this year’s local elections, the Reform Party secured outright majorities in 10 local authorities and won two metro mayor contests. As its local leaders make the transition from opposition to government, what skills will they need to be successful? What are the trade-offs they will have to make? How should they design and deliver policy? And how…

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In Britain's broken housing market, does the Renters' Rights Bill go far enough? 32:23

15d ago32:23

32:23

This week the renters’ rights bill returns to the House of Commons for its final debate. But in a country where tenants are spending around 40% of their income on rent, amidst an increasingly inflating housing market - does the bill go far enough? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman's business editor Will Dunn, and director of the Rente…

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Reform conference: "Farage has accepted the inevitability of being PM" 31:47

19d ago31:47

31:47

As Keir Starmer spent the weekend trying to glue his cabinet back together, another party leader was basking in the glow of the NEC spotlights and a governmental crisis. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️ Enj…

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Tsetlin Machines, Literal Labs, and the future of AI, with Noel Hurley 35:54

16d ago35:54

35:54

Our guest in this episode is Noel Hurley. Noel is a highly experienced technology strategist with a long career at the cutting edge of computing. He spent two decade-long stints at Arm, the semiconductor company whose processor designs power hundreds of billions of devices worldwide. Today, he’s a co-founder of Literal Labs, where he’s developing T…

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What will Zack Polanski do first with the Green Party? | Listener questions 28:36

17d ago28:36

28:36

The Greens have a new leader. Listeners want to know what's in store for the left now. Tom McTague is joined by Andrew Marr, Rachel Cunliffe and Megan Kenyon to answer listener questions on: the future of the Green Party under Zack Polanski Jeremy Corbyn and Your Party's position on trans rights whether a pro-immigration left party could win workin…

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The long and winding road to Brexit | Tom McTague interview 1:24:07

22d ago1:24:07

1:24:07

From the battlefields of Algiers to the corridors of Westminster, Britain’s uneasy relationship with Europe has been shaped by thinkers, politicians, financiers, and strategists. In his new book, Between the Waves, the New Statesman's editor Tom McTague traces a previously uncovered history spanning eight decades of how Britain came to say “no” to …

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Rayner out, Labour moves right | Politics with Rachel Cunliffe 39:15

19d ago39:15

39:15

Angela Rayner resigned from government, and stood down as deputy Labour leader, following her failure to pay enough tax on a property in Hove. With this Keir Starmer has reshuffled his top cabinet, where are they headed now? Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Andrew Marr, Tom McTague and Megan Kenyon. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Statesman app MORE …

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The Freedom of Information Act at 25: What next for freedom of information? 1:30:21

19d ago1:30:21

1:30:21

The Freedom of Information (FoI) Act – which was passed 25 years ago and came into force five years later – created a legal right for citizens to request information from public authorities. This was a radical shift in the government's approach to information and a significant step towards a more open culture of government. FoI was designed to gene…

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Should Angela Rayner resign? | Politics with Tom McTague 38:48

20d ago38:48

38:48

Andrew Marr joins the show to discuss Rayner, Immigration and Graham Linehan's arrest. *** Housing Secretary Angela Rayner is under fire for underpaying Stamp Duty. The right are gleeful but Keir Starmer is standing by his deputy PM. Is he making the right move? Tom McTague is joined by Andrew Marr, Rachel Cunliffe, Megan Kenyon and George Monaghan…

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How will Keir Starmer’s No10 reset work? 53:01

20d ago53:01

53:01

The prime minister has made some big changes in No10. Darren Jones moves from the Treasury to take on the newly-created job of chief secretary to the prime minister. A new executive director of communications has been recruited. Minouche Shafik has been appointed as the PM’s economics adviser. And other eye-catching job changes are taking place. So…

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The age of deportation | Cover story with Tanjil Rashid 47:00

21d ago47:00

47:00

Who gets to belong in Britain? In the past year, the conversation around immigration in Britain - across the political spectrum - has become increasingly vicious. As Tanjil Rashid, the New Statesman’s culture editor, writes for this week’s cover story - we are no longer in “an age of migration”. We have been propelled into something altogether new,…

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Britain’s booming export: stolen goods | Tom Sasse interview 28:31

22d ago28:31

28:31

How your snatched iPhone feeds a global criminal supply chain. Britain’s exports have declined in many areas over the past few years, but there is one category in which trade is booming. The UK has become a leading exporter of stolen goods. From iPhones snatched by gangs on the streets of London to luxury cars stolen to order, criminal organisation…

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Keir Starmer's reshuffle reveals his priorities | Politics 18:11

27d ago18:11

18:11

Who's in, who's out - and why? * Keir Starmer has reshuffled the treasury team and some key parliamentary staff, creating a new "Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister" role and restructuring the government's communication department. The changes indicate a renewed focus for the government, putting economic issues front-and-centre of operations ahea…

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Author Nicola Barker: "we are all weirdos" | Culture with Tanjil Rashid 37:57

25d ago37:57

37:57

The experimental novelist on finding God, being "a misfit" and her return to writing. -- Nicola Barker is "has broken the mould so many times it's almost beyond repair". She's a post-punk literary anarchist who writes from the peripheries of the UK. Her experiments with narrative form have won her many plaudits, including the Goldsmith's Prize for…

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Has the English flag been co-opted by the far-right? | Politics with Anoosh Chakelian 16:24

26d ago16:24

16:24

“⁠Do you think the English flag has been so easily co-opted by by the far right because there is no English government that is proudly flying the flag and building a better narrative around English national pride?” Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Harry Clarke-Ezzidio and George Eaton to answer listener quesitons. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Sta…

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"The UK government is complicit in genocide" | Humza Yousaf interview 39:36

27d ago39:36

39:36

It was foreseen for months, as Israel cut off all aid, but this month the UN declared that more than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine. By the end of September, more than 640 000 people will face Catastrophic levels of food insecurity. Leading to preventable deaths on a devastating scale. For Humza Yousaf, the former First Ministe…

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Inside the making of the Employment Rights Bill | Politics with Anoosh Chakelian 25:03

28d ago25:03

25:03

Last October, the government published the Employment Rights Bill, a slate of reforms set to change workers' rights in the UK - from banning “fire and rehire” tactics, to ending exploitative zero-hours contracts, to giving workers employment protection from day one. The bill has passed through the Commons and is currently on its third reading in th…

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What the Treasury reshuffle reveals about the budget | Politics with Will Dunn 25:46

29d ago25:46

25:46

Ahead of this autumn’s budget there has been a reshuffle in Rachel Reeves’ treasury team. What’s at play? And what might it tell us about the trajectory of Britain’s finances? Will Dunn, the New Statesman's business editor, is joined by George Eaton. Read: Torsten Bell rises as Rachel Reeves reshuffles her team; Rachel Reeves will never get serious…

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The Manosphere: Red pills, incels and a misogyny epidemic | James Bloodworth interview 25:12

1M ago25:12

25:12

Students across the UK have reported a dramatic rise in misogyny in their schools. The government has described this as being on an "epidemic scale". This is often connected to social media content targeted at young men and boys, but is there more to it? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by journalist James Bloodworth, author of Lost Boys: A Personal Jour…

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Can the UK solve the plummeting birthrate dilemma? | Politics with Anoosh Chakelian 21:11

1M ago21:11

21:11

Due to Britain’s falling birth rates and the government’s desire for lower immigration levels, does the government have any plan to financially encourage and support couples to have children? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and George Eaton to answer listener questions. Download the app LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Statesman app …

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Andy Burnham: the next Prime Minister? | Politics with Anoosh Chakelian 20:50

1M ago20:50

20:50

The Mayor of Manchester is the most popular choice to replace Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. Keir Starmer is now less popular than Donald Trump. Despite the Labour Party's historic election win just over one year ago, popularity ratings for leading Labour figures have plummeted. Economic woes, crunching u-turns, unrest over Gaza and asylum hotel p…

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Why are people talking about an English civil war? | Politics with Anoosh Chakelian 32:51

1M ago32:51

32:51

Following last year’s riots, in the wake of the Southport murders, Elon Musk predicted civil war in the UK was “inevitable”. So far, however, no civil war… Over the last century, people in British politics at times of turmoil have raised the prospect of civil war, repeatedly, in ways not unlike today. What did they fear, and why? And what might we …

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Trump meets Zelenskyy: hope for peace in Ukraine? | Geopolitics with Katie Stallard 26:47

1M ago26:47

26:47

Yesterday, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington, flanked by seven European leaders, in order to meet with Donald Trump and push forward talks to end the war in Ukraine. This came just three days after Trump’s carefully choreographed meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Could this be the beginning of the end for the drawn o…

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Palestine Action arrests "will bring the law into disrepute" | Jonathan Dimbleby interview 34:41

1M ago34:41

34:41

In 1978, the broadcaster and journalist Jonathan Dimbleby, and photojournalist Don McCullin, published The Palestinians - a book that sought to tell the human story behind one of the world’s most intractable conflicts. This year, in the wake of the ongoing and constantly escalating war, the book will be republished with a new foreword. In this epis…

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The New Statesman’s ultimate beach reads 38:48

1M ago38:48

38:48

There’s one thing you need this summer. A good book. Will Lloyd is joined by culture editor Tanjil Rashid, and staff writer Finn McRedmond to discuss the New Statesman's ultimate beach reads for 2025 and beyond. Download the app Host: Will Lloyd Guests: Tanjil Rashid, Finn McRedmond Producer: Catharine Hughes Video producer: Rob Le Mare Executive p…

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The government must address the graduate job crisis | Politics with Anoosh Chakelian 28:00

1M ago28:00

28:00

Will Starmer face a vote of no confidence? What does Reform UK mean by scrap Net Zero? Should the Democrats distance themselves from the Clintons? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by George Eaton and Will Lloyd to answer listener questions. Download the app Ask a question Host: Anoosh Chakelian Guest: George Eaton Guest: Will Lloyd Producer: Catharine Hu…

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UK economy "fastest growing in the G7 this year" | Politics with Anoosh Chakelian 25:21

1M ago25:21

25:21

On Thursday morning, data was released showing that UK economic growth has slowed to 0.3%. Also, JD Vance has been holidaying in the UK, recently meeting with a who’s who of right-wing populists - from Robert Jenrick, to Nigel Farage, to, somewhat bizarrely, enjoying a BBQ with ex-Apprentice contestant and social media star, Thomas Skinner. Anoosh …

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Branding pensioners terrorists: "ridiculous... and deeply disturbing" | Sir Jonathon Porritt, arrested at Palestine Action Protest 21:57

2M ago21:57

21:57

On Saturday, in Westminster, police arrested more than 500 people under the Terrorism Act. That’s more in a single day than have ever been charged with terrorist-related activity in a whole year. Many of those arrested were pensioners. Their crime: holding cardboard signs which read “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” One of those 532 …

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What happens in Alaska won't stay in Alaska | Geopolitics with Katie Stallard 32:12

1M ago32:12

32:12

US President Donald Trump will meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday for a high stakes summit to discuss the war in Ukraine. Trump has been upping the ante with his rhetoric around Putin in recent months. On July 14, the US president set Putin a 50 day deadline to agree a ceasefire with Ukraine. On July 28th, he reduced it …