The Evening: Trump and Europe clash on Ukraine

Also, the virtuoso Roberta Flack died at 88.

View in browser|nytimes.com February 24, 2025 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Monday. Trump's meeting with France's president Germany's next leader Plus, the magic of crab Rangoon President Trump and France's president, Emmanuel Macron, today at the White House. Doug Mills/The New York Times Trump and Europe clashed over Ukraine President Trump and France's president, Emmanuel Macron, repeatedly exchanged compliments and friendly gestures during a White House meeting this afternoon. But on the topic of Ukraine, the divergence between the two leaders was evident. Trump refused to call Vladimir Putin a dictator, as he has described Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and falsely claimed that the U.S. had spent three times as much as Europe on the war. He demanded that Ukraine sign over hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue from natural resources to the U.S., without mentioning Russian concessions. Macron corrected Trump's assertions about European aid, made clear that Russia — not Ukraine — was to blame for the war, and insisted that any truce "must not mean a surrender of Ukraine." The meeting came on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Several European leaders acknowledged the day by visiting Kyiv and pledging their support. Meanwhile, Trump suggested that his negotiations with Putin could end the fighting "within weeks," and said that he might visit Moscow if a peace deal were reached. The U.S. also angered its European allies by voting against a resolution at the U.N. General Assembly that condemned Russian aggression and called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. The Americans were joined by Russia, Belarus and North Korea. For more: There are many ways to measure the cost of three years of war. One is the death toll: It is estimated that more than 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 150,000 Russian soldiers have been killed. My colleague Kim Barker, however, looked at the war though the story of Olha Kurtmallaieva, a young cancer patient whose husband is in a Russian prison. Elon Musk. Eric Lee/The New York Times Musk's threat to federal workers split Trump's team This past weekend, federal workers were told that they had until midnight tonight to respond to an email from Elon Musk ordering them to justify their jobs or face termination. This afternoon, the government's personnel department clarified that it was just a "voluntary" request. Yet, nearly simultaneously, Trump called Musk's effort "ingenious" and said, "If you don't answer, you're sort of semi-fired or you're fired." Confusion reigned. One thing was clear: Not everyone among Trump's senior ranks was comfortable with Musk's plan. Workers at the Departments of State, Defense, Energy, Homeland Security and Justice were all flatly told not to comply — a sign of rare dissent in the administration. In other politics news: The F.D.A. reinstated dozens of employees who oversee the safety of food and life-sustaining medical devices. A free speech institute asked a federal judge to make public the special counsel report about the classified documents case against Trump. A federal judge blocked Musk's team from gaining access to student loan databases. The Times examined the financial interests of Dr. Oz, who is Trump's pick to oversee Medicare and Medicaid. We found opaque ties with the industries he may soon regulate. Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate, announced his candidacy for governor of Ohio. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida talked up his wife as a potential successor — clashing with Trump's endorsement. Protesters displayed an upside-down flag at Yosemite. My colleague David Leonhardt explained why, in an age of right-wing populism, Denmark's liberals are winning. Brutalist buildings have become another battleground in Trump's culture war. Friedrich Merz, Germany's likely next chancellor, in Berlin yesterday. Hannibal Hanschke/EPA, via Shutterstock Germany is getting a new chancellor Germans voted for a change of leadership yesterday, handing the most votes to centrist conservatives led by Friedrich Merz, a businessman who has long aspired to be chancellor. The far-right AfD party appeared to come in second — a rebuke to the current left-leaning leadership on the economy and immigration — but it is highly likely to be excluded from the government. These charts show the shift in power in Germany. Merz will be dealt a weak hand: He is unpopular, and his country's economy has stalled. But his penchant for risks could help lead to a European showdown with Trump. For more: TikTok helped the far left surpass expectations. Roberta Flack in 1969.  Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive, via Getty Images The virtuoso Roberta Flack died at 88 Roberta Flack, the magnetic singer and pianist whose intimate blend of soul, jazz and folk helped her rule the charts in the 1970s, died today at 88. After spending almost 10 years as a Washington, D.C., schoolteacher and performing at night downtown, Flack was well into her 30s when she became a star with majestic anthems like "Killing Me Softly" and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." Here are 11 of her essential tracks. More top news Business: Apple said that it would build A.I. servers in Texas as part of a plan to spend $500 billion and hire 20,000 people in the U.S. over the next four years. Middle East: One of Hamas's top officials said he would not have supported the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel if he had known the devastation it would wreak in Gaza. Vatican: Pneumonia, a complex infection and now kidney problems have left Pope Francis in critical condition, but an official statement said that he was "alert and well oriented." Health: Chatbots posing as therapists may encourage users to commit harmful acts, the nation's largest psychological organization warned. Media: Lester Holt said that he would step down as anchor of the "NBC Nightly News." New York City: The congestion pricing program raised $48.6 million in tolls during its first month, exceeding expectations. Immigration: Mayor Eric Adams said that the Roosevelt Hotel, nicknamed "the new Ellis Island" and housing nearly 3,000 migrants, would stop being a shelter by June. France: A former surgeon went on trial on charges that he raped or sexually assaulted 299 people. It is considered to be the country's largest-ever pedophilia case. Lives Lived: Clint Hill, the former Secret Service agent who in 1963 leaped to President John F. Kennedy's side as he came under fire in Dallas, died at 93. TIME TO UNWIND RZA. Andre D. Wagner for The New York Times Wu-Tang Clan is back together for one final tour Few groups have had more impact on the evolution of hip-hop than Wu-Tang Clan, the Staten Island supergroup that helped define the sound of 1990s New York rap. And yet, Wu-Tang Clan was never a reliable touring unit. RZA, the group's chief architect, is hoping to change that reputation. He sat down with my colleagues on the podcast "Popcast" and said that the group was hitting the road for one last tour — and that all of the surviving original members were set to join. Idina Menzel in "Redwood." Amir Hamja for The New York Times Vertical dance arrived on Broadway The Oakland dance troupe Bandaloop likes to push the boundaries of choreography. Using equipment like harnesses, ropes and belay devices, its dancers have performed while hanging off the side of cliffs and giant buildings. Now the group's gravity-defying moves have come to Broadway in the musical "Redwood," starring Idina Menzel. The performance, Menzel said, has helped her "return to an innocence and a playfulness that I yearn for." Above a copse of trees on Guirdil Bay on the Isle of Rum in Scotland. Nicholas White for The New York Times Dinner table topics Embracing darkness: The Isle of Rum is a wild Scottish island — population 40 — with no artificial illumination. Take a look at photographs of it. 'Indie queen': Parker Posey had trouble finding satisfying Hollywood work. Then came "The White Lotus." Photo ready: The idea of a tropical paradise is often manufactured. Some resorts are rethinking their approach. Angelic gowns: Check out the best looks from the SAG Awards. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Linda Xiao for The New York Times Cook: Enjoy these mrouzia lamb shanks with fluffy couscous or plenty of crusty bread. Read: The famous Orioles manager Earl Weaver is the subject of a vivid new biography. Watch: "Zero Day" is a throwback thriller with modern echoes. Wear: Our critic explains how to style men's white jeans without looking too contrived. Gaze: This week, every planet will be visible in the sky — if you know where to look. Exercise: These simple movements are designed to improve your balance. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Janice Chung for The New York Times There's something magical about crab Rangoon The crab Rangoon is a bit of an impostor: It came from a California tiki bar chain, not Rangoon (present-day Yangon, Myanmar). And it's not reliably made with real crab. But it often seems as if American diners can't possibly get enough of it. The wonton treat stuffed with cream cheese is so beloved that chefs have begun experimenting: There's a crab Rangoon bagel in Indianpolis, a crab Rangoon pizza in Des Moines and even a crab Rangoon doughnut in Seattle. "Even bad crab Rangoon is better than no crab Rangoon at all," one chef said. Have an appetizing evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Sean Kawasaki-Culligan was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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