Late night hosts have fun imagining Biden and Putin's Zoom fails on their high-stakes Ukraine chat

"President Biden held a video meeting with Vladimir Putin to warn him not to invade Ukraine," Trevor Noah said on Tuesday's Daily Show. "And a video chat is a tough way for both of these guys to do diplomacy, I mean especially because even when he's in person, Biden talks like he's got a bad connection." He acted that out, joking that Putin could just reset the White House servers to improve connectivity.

The Late Show wrapped some classic Zoom fails into its re-enactment of the Biden-Putin chat.
Hey, "the world may be standing at the precipice of war between two nuclear-armed powers," so a de-escalatory chat about Ukraine between Putin and Biden "makes sense," Stephen Colbert deadpanned on The Late Show. "The only way to resolve a delicate situation that requires crystal-clear communication is two old men on a Zoom."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Now, if you're worried these rising tensions with Russia will lead to World War III with Russia, don't be ridiculous," Colbert said. "It's gonna be World War III with China. We got a preview yesterday" with the diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. And if that's not enough "gloom and doom," he said, a giant black box in Australia will soon record humanity's self-inflicted demise to climate catastrophe.
"Speaking of catastrophes," Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) is quitting Congress to be CEO of former President Donald Trump's social media company, despite any relevant experience — except "milking things with leathery skin," Colbert said. "Now, usually when when the former president appoints someone who is grossly incompetent to an important position, he has a good reason: They're related to him. That means the only reason Nunes got this gig is because Jared, Don Jr., and Eric all turned it down."

The Biden-Putin call lasted two hours, "and like most two-hour meetings over Zoom, Putin was like, 'This could have been email,'" Jimmy Fallon joked at The Tonight Show. "On the bright side, it was the first time Putin could see Biden on camera — when Biden actually knew he was on camera."
Meanwhile, "China's moon rover spotted a mysterious cube-shaped object on the moon's surface, and everyone on the internet is trying to figure out what it is," Fallon said. "If there's anyone who knows the truth, it's random people on the internet — yeah, the same internet that couldn't figure out the color of a dress."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
China accuses NSA of Winter Games cyberattacks
speed read China alleges that the U.S. National Security Agency launched cyberattacks during the Asian Winter Games in February
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Russian strike kills dozens in Ukraine
Speed Read The Sumy ballistic missile strike was Russia's deadliest attack on civilians this year
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
South Korea court removes impeached president
Speed Read The Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol after his declaration of martial law in December
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Myanmar quake deaths rise as survivor search intensifies
speed read The magnitude-7.7 earthquake in central Myanmar has killed a documented 2,000 people so far, and left scores more trapped beneath rubble
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson
-
Israel detains director after West Bank settler clash
speed read The director of Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land' was arrested and beaten
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Turkey arrests Istanbul mayor, a top Erdogan rival
Speed Read Protests erupted in Turkey after authorities detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
By Peter Weber, The Week US