Donald Trump has "blindsided almost everyone" by announcing that he and Vladimir Putin are to meet for talks on ending Russia's war in Ukraine, said Politico. Trump said on social media that he'd had a "lengthy and highly productive" phone call with the Russian president yesterday, followed by a shorter call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy to "inform him of the conversation".

"Stunned" European leaders gathered in Brussels with Ukrainian counterparts today for a Nato summit, and are "already trying to make clear that a decision can't be made above Ukrainian heads, not to mention their own", said Politico.

What did the commentators say?
Yesterday's phone call was "diplomatic victory" for Putin, who in many ways has "already got what he wants" – the opportunity to "negotiate directly" with the US, said the BBC's Russia editor Steve Rosenberg.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has described the aim of Ukraine getting back all the territory seized by Russia since 2014 as "unrealistic". He also indicated that Washington is "intent on getting Europe to take on most of the financial and military burden of defending Ukraine", said MailOnline. 

Under Putin's "so-called peace proposal" of 2024, said Rosenberg, Russia would "get to keep all the Ukrainian territory it has seized" and more, while Ukraine would not be permitted to join Nato. It "reads more like an ultimatum" than a peace deal.

British defence officials have "reacted furiously to claims Ukraine will be forced to give up land to Russia", said The Independent. But fundamentally this is "not about territory", former MI6 head Alex Younger told BBC Radio 4's "Today" programme. "It's about sovereignty. Russia wants Ukraine to be a non-country, and if Donald Trump gives that away, we've lost."

What next?
Trump said he and Putin had agreed to meet, "probably in Saudi Arabia the first time", but didn't specify when. US Vice President J.D. Vance is also expected to meet Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference tomorrow.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey said that "for now", the focus should be on ensuring Ukraine is in a strong position ahead of any possible peace talks.

US Vice President J.D. Vance has cautioned Europe not to "strangle" the development of artificial intelligence with "overly precautionary" regulations, in a speech at the AI Action summit in Paris. Both the US and the UK held back from signing a declaration that included a call on countries to ensure "safe, secure and trustworthy" AI technology.

Yet this week's conference was notable for its big "pivot" away from the "safety and governance" focus of previous AI summits, said Politico, after European politicians tried to make a late entry into the AI race with promises of "massive investments" and "light regulation".

Why did the UK and US refuse to sign?
The US was apparently "put off" signing the declaration by the "language around multilateralism", which could be perceived as obstructing America's race "to maintain its advantage over China", said the Financial Times.

The UK is also aiming to follow its own guidelines on AI, with the government hoping AI-driven innovation could bring £47 billion to the economy each year.

What is Europe planning?
Critics often accuse the EU of leaning into AI regulation "too heavily, to the detriment of innovation", said CNBC. But now, led by France, the bloc is aiming to be "part of the conversation around AI leadership and innovation that has so far been dominated by the US and China".

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also been outspoken about the need for billions of euros of investment in AI. But the "tension between safety and competitiveness" remains a point of concern, said Time.

Can Europe compete on AI?
Many businesses still view the continent as a place of "too much regulation", said CNBC. It was the EU, after all, that last year implemented the "first major law in the world governing artificial intelligence".

But the potential is there: Europe "has an economy of the same order of magnitude" as China and the US, Cédric Villani, a mathematician at Claude-Bernard Lyon-I University, told Le Monde. It just needs to tap into a pool of scientific and technical skills "from which America has not hesitated to draw for decades".

The spring half-term break is a great time to take the kids on fun-filled trips to the UK's child-friendly attractions. Here are a few favourites:

Making Egypt, Young V&A
There is "plenty to keep young visitors occupied" at the ancient Egypt exhibition at the Young V&A in Bethnal Green, east London, said The Telegraph. More than 200 items are on display, from a Lego set of the Great Pyramid to the inner sarcophagus of Princess Sopdet-em-haawt, in an array of "fun, themed displays". From February 15, vam.ac.uk

Half-term History Makers at Dover Castle
Dover Castle will be "teeming with characters from the past", as the historic site transports half-term visitors back to the Victorian era, said Kent Online. "Cheeky street performers" and a "glowing lantern show" are among the highlights. From 15 February, english-heritage.org.uk

Zoo Detectives at Bristol Zoo Project
The Zoo Detectives interactive family trail at Bristol Zoo Project is a great way to entertain kids of ages ranging from two to 12. You can "join the eco guards on a secret mission" that sees you "send commands through a walkie-talkie", "navigate with a compass" and "study animal tracks", said Bristol Live. From 15 February, bristolzoo.org.uk

Robot Zoo, Horniman Museum and Gardens
This "delightful" exhibition "explains the wonders of the animal world" using "robots made from household items", said Time Out. Young visitors can try activities ranging from shooting a chameleon's "tongue-gun" to jet-propelled squid racing. From February 14, horniman.ac.uk

The myth of a noble America
Hans Kundnani in The New Statesman
Since Donald Trump returned to the White House, we've seen "an America that threatens rather than offers hope", writes Hans Kundnani. Yet US policy on countries outside western Europe has long been characterised by "hypocrisy": "lofty in rhetoric" but "sordid in practice". Then came Gaza, and the US "actively enabled" Israel to bomb hospitals and schools. With Trump back, "the pretence is over" but it "was never quite what many of us imagined".

Don't cancel Neil Gaiman's books
Leah Pennisi-Glaser in The Spectator
Whatever the truth about the sexual-assault allegations against author Neil Gaiman, "the backlash has been swift", writes Leah Pennisi-Glaser. The "collapse of his literary empire comes with immense collateral damage" – including "the children who won't now find" his books. "Separating the art from the artist is not a new moral dilemma". It's an "important life lesson" that there is no "correlation between cleverness and kindness".

Is this the real reason Rachel Reeves is adorning her walls with ghastly lockdown art?
Robert Taylor in The Telegraph
Rachel Reeves, writes Robert Taylor, "has replaced portraits of former prime ministers on her Downing Street walls" with art "depicting social distancing and Covid anxiety" – including a "bizarre blotchy number" and a "red-grey, spinny thingy". Apparently, she's "keen to rid her walls of portraits of men painted by men", but is the chancellor actually "unwittingly" acknowledging that, without lockdown, she and Keir Starmer "would never have got into power"?