Trump's Middle East week, Kyiv calls Putin's bluff and Cannes' opening week

President Donald Trump made the first overseas tour of his second term this week to the Middle East, where Riyadh royalty rolled out a lavender carpet ahead of a 600-billion-dollar pledge of Saudi investment for US contracts. Qatar next, where The Beast was surrounded by a caravan of camels, while the man inside watched a ceremonial sword-dance spectacle.

Then onwards to the UAE to the sound of drums and the swishing of hair, more big money deals announced too. A trip that made headlines for a surprise meeting with Syria’s warlord turned President; and questions over why Trump left Israel off the itinerary; and on the ethics of accepting the gift of a winged palace from Doha.

It’s also been a week where President Zelensky called President Putin’s bluff. He was awaiting talks in Turkey, the setting the Russian leader had chosen for negotiations, rather than accepting an unconditional ceasefire. Putin was a no show, stand-in props sent instead according to Kyiv. Moscow had barely had the time to call Zelensky “a clown” in response by the time President Trump intervened. 

“Nothing’s going to happen”, he suddenly declared to reporters, “until Putin and I get together”. We’ll assess when and where the stage is being set for that. 

And it’s the week where the 78th Cannes Film Festival kicked off … Juliette Binoche heads up this year’s jury. A new dress code too, no nudity or gowns with long trains. And honorary Palme D’or has already been awarded to Robert De Niro, who used his acceptance speech to criticise President Trump and the big tip for this year's best film award is the Japanese drama “Renoir”.

Produced by Luis Miguel Cabrera, Jean-Vincent Russo, Rebecca Gnignati and Laura Burloux.