The three leaders who will decide Ukraine’s fate

Summary

Apple News Today: The Three Leaders Who Will Decide Ukraine’s Fate
Released August 15, 2025
Host: Shamita Basu

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1. Trump-Putin Summit: A Pivotal Meeting for Ukraine’s Future

Shamita Basu opens the episode by highlighting a significant diplomatic event: “President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Alaska today for a summit to discuss ending the war in Ukraine” [00:05]. This marks the first private meeting between a U.S. president and Putin on American soil since 2007, underscoring its historical importance.

Steve Holland, Reuters White House correspondent, provides insight into Trump's objectives: “Trump's overall goal is to stop the war. He believes he inherited this war from Joe Biden and he would love to leave Alaska with a ceasefire agreement” [00:42]. Holland further elaborates on Putin’s motivations, suggesting that the Russian leader aims to shed his pariah status and possibly negotiate on broader issues like economic ties and nuclear arms control [01:19].

The discussion delves into the complexities of the negotiations. Putin seeks assurances to retain some of the Ukrainian territories occupied during the conflict, particularly in the eastern regions [01:31]. In contrast, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President not present at the summit, maintains a staunch stance on preserving Ukraine’s sovereignty and aims to reclaim territories like Crimea [02:01].

Trump communicates his intentions to allies, stating he “does not plan to discuss territory in these talks with Putin” [02:22]. Instead, his focus is on achieving a ceasefire and arranging future negotiations that include Ukraine [02:22]. Holland notes a shift in Trump’s demeanor, indicating a tougher stance on Putin: “He's showing some senses that he wants to be tougher on Putin, specifically at this meeting if they don't reach some sort of agreement” [03:19].

The summit's outcome carries high stakes for Ukrainians, who are desperate for an end to the war. Basu directs listeners to follow real-time updates through the Apple News app [03:35].

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2. Economic Pressures: Rising Inflation and Child Poverty

Transitioning to economic news, Basu reports on the impact of President Trump’s tariffs through recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) data: “Trump's tariffs are starting to make an impact, raising prices on everyday goods like coffee, ground beef, furniture and toys” [03:35]. The Producer Price Index (PPI) saw a significant rise of 0.9% last month, the largest in over three years, signaling potential future consumer price hikes [03:35].

Dan Frosch, a reporter from The Wall Street Journal, discusses the surge in child poverty: “There were more families with kids living in this sort of space right above the poverty line than we've seen in five years” [04:57]. Nearly 10 million American children are now living in or near poverty, a stark increase attributed to the expiration of COVID-era federal benefits and cuts from Trump's tax and spending bill [05:10].

Frosch highlights the precarious situation of families like Felicia Allen, whose increased salary still leaves her just above the poverty threshold but with significantly reduced federal food assistance [05:10]. He explains the tough choices these families face, such as potentially reducing work hours to qualify for more assistance: “Do I try to maybe reduce my hours so I can get more food stamps and then maybe make up some more hours on the back end?” [05:10].

The fragility of the current safety net is exacerbated by the Trump administration's policy shifts, pushing more responsibility for funding social programs onto individual states [06:44]. Frosch emphasizes the uncertainty ahead: “The next year is going to be really telling as to whether it's going to become even more difficult for them or whether their salary increases are going to sort of give them a little bit of a financial cushion” [06:53].

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3. Big Tech's AI Investments: Boon or Bust for the Economy

Basu shifts focus to the burgeoning investments in artificial intelligence by major tech companies. Apple has committed a staggering $600 billion to expanding U.S. manufacturing, including AI infrastructure [07:20]. Other giants like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta have collectively pledged over $3 billion, with Google alone announcing a $9 billion investment in Oklahoma’s cloud and AI infrastructure [07:20].

Garrett de Vinck, AI correspondent for The Washington Post, describes the scale of these investments: “It's just a mind-boggling amount of money that big tech is spending on AI right now” [08:04]. He underscores the unprecedented nature of this financial commitment, noting that corporate spending on AI has outpaced U.S. government expenditures on education, training, employment, and social services for the current fiscal year [08:21].

De Vinck highlights the potential economic benefits, such as job creation through the construction and maintenance of data centers and a projected contribution of AI spending to nearly half of the Federal Reserve’s 1.4% GDP growth forecast for the year [08:54]. However, he also cautions against the inherent risks: “If the AI companies suddenly decide we don't want to keep putting tens of billions of dollars into AI every couple months, suddenly that growth all just evaporates” [09:40].

Basu and de Vinck discuss the dual-edged sword of AI investment. While it promises economic stimulation and technological advancement, there are concerns about job displacement and the financial sustainability of such massive expenditures. Investments in AI infrastructure impose significant costs on tech companies, and any downturn could result in substantial financial repercussions for both the companies and individual investors [09:54]. De Vinck warns that a slowdown in the AI boom could adversely affect personal finances, particularly for those invested heavily in big tech stocks through retirement accounts [10:24].

Currently, big tech shows no signs of retracting their AI investments, suggesting a continued aggressive push into the field [10:45].

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4. Additional Highlights: Redistricting Battles, Government Savings Claims, and a Sticky Summer

Redistricting Conflicts in Texas and California
Basu reports on the ongoing battle over congressional redistricting. In Texas, Democrats have temporarily left the state legislature to prevent Republicans from passing newly drawn maps aimed at securing five additional Republican seats in the U.S. House [10:45]. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has committed to scheduling special legislative sessions as necessary to finalize the new maps.

Conversely, California Governor Gavin Newsom is advocating for a special election in November to adopt new congressional maps that could potentially add five Democratic seats [10:45]. The announcement was marked by a controversial presence of armed ICE agents, drawing criticism from local leaders like LA Mayor Karen Bass [10:45].

DOGE's Disputed Savings Claims
Politico uncovers discrepancies in claims made by DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency?) regarding federal savings. DOGE asserts it has saved over $50 billion by cutting federal contracts, but an analysis of public data reveals a more modest $1.4 billion in actual savings [10:45]. Politico attributes the inflated figures to faulty accounting methods and warns that such discrepancies will not significantly impact the national deficit without congressional intervention [10:45].

Record-Setting Humidity: Understanding the Stickiness Index
The episode also covers meteorological data indicating an unusually humid summer. NASA's Stickiness Index, which measures the combined effects of heat and humidity, confirms that this summer ranks among the stickiest ever [10:45]. Researchers attribute the extreme conditions to high temperatures and residual moisture from a wet spring [10:45]. Experts emphasize the importance of mitigating risks associated with humid heat, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly and children, by adopting measures such as staying hydrated and maintaining cool indoor environments [10:45].

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Conclusion

Shamita Basu wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to access these stories and more through the Apple News app. She also teases an upcoming conversation with New Yorker writer Eyal Press about President Trump's no tax on tips policy and its underlying lobbying influences [14:14].

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This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the "Apple News Today" episode on August 15, 2025. From high-stakes diplomatic negotiations affecting Ukraine’s future to pressing economic challenges and the transformative yet risky investments in artificial intelligence by big tech, the episode provides a comprehensive overview of pivotal issues shaping the current landscape.

Transcript

[Shamita Basu]

Good morning. It's Friday, August 15th. I'm Shamita Basu. This is Apple News today. On today's show, why almost half of all kids in the US Are living in or close to poverty. Big Tech is betting big bucks on AI investments and the data's in. It's been a record breakingly sticky summer. But first, President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Alaska today for a summit to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

[Steve Holland]

Trump's overall goal is to stop the war. He believes he inherited this war from Joe Biden and he would love to leave Alaska with a ceasefire agreement.

[Shamita Basu]

That's Steve Holland, a White House correspondent for Reuters who's traveling with the president to Alaska. Today. He told us about what's at stake for Trump, for Putin, and for the leader who isn't in the room, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It marks the first time since 2007 that a US president has invited Putin to American soil for a private meeting. World leaders have largely shunned him since Russia invaded Ukraine three and a half years ago.

[Steve Holland]

He's been sort of limited to where he can go. He would love to kind of end his status as a pariah around the world. Whether that will happen, we'll have to see. But that would be his motivation.

[Shamita Basu]

Just securing an invitation to this summit is a big diplomatic victory for Putin. And Haaland says Putin may also use this opportunity to discuss issues other than Ukraine, like restoring economic ties with the US and reaching a nuclear arms control agreement. But in the war negotiations, Putin wants assurances that Russia can keep some of the Ukrainian territory it's occupied, particularly some of its more recent gains in the eastern parts of the country. That is a red line for Zelensky.

[Steve Holland]

President Zelensky wants Russian forces out of his country. He comes with the goal of maintaining the sovereignty and integrity of his country. I mean, he'd love to get back Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. That's probably the most difficult ask. But he comes in with some sort of maximalist approaches.

[Shamita Basu]

Trump told Zelenskyy and other European leaders in a phone call on Wednesday that he does not plan to discuss territory in these talks with Putin. Says his goal is to secure a ceasefire and to set up follow up meetings where Ukraine is at the table to discuss peace terms and possible land swaps. Trump also reportedly agreed to several of Kyiv's demands, like security guarantees for Ukraine after the war, retaining the right to potentially join NATO in the future and ramping up economic pressure on Russia if negotiations fail to reach a peace deal. Trump this week threatened very severe consequences for Russia if there is no ceasefire deal, but did not specify what that would entail. All for those following how this summit unfolds, Haaland said the main determining factor could be which version of Trump shows up, the one who is threatening harsh repercussions, or the version of Trump we've seen in the past who has struck a more friendly tone with Putin.

[Steve Holland]

He's showing some senses that he wants to be tougher on Putin, specifically at this meeting if they don't reach some sort of agreement. And this is a meeting that Putin requested. If Putin comes empty handed to this meeting, I think Trump will be annoyed.

[Shamita Basu]

About it, though the stakes will of course be the highest for those not in the room, Ukrainians who are desperate for the war to end. You can follow the latest developments on today's meeting in the Apple News app. Let's turn to the economy, where recent data from the Consumer Price Index indicates Trump's tariffs are starting to make an impact, raising prices on everyday goods like coffee, ground beef, furniture and toys. And the Producer Price Index, which tracks inflation for producers and manufacturers, rose by 0.9% last month, the largest jump in more than three years. Economists say it's a sign that more price hikes for consumers are coming soon. That will put pressure on everyone, but even more so on a group that's already under stress. American families living in Poverty no demographic has seen such a sharp rise in poverty in recent years as children have. According to Census Bureau figures from 2023, almost 10 million American children are living in poverty, the most since 2018. And Wall Street Journal reporter Dan Frosch told us almost half of all kids in the US Live in poverty or precari close to it.

[Dan Frosch]

There were more families with kids living in this sort of space right above the poverty line than we've seen in five years. And that's really sort of a hard space to get out of, he says.

[Shamita Basu]

These families have been pushed to the brink by a mix of economic factors. Covid era federal benefits like the expanded child tax credit, additional unemployment insurance and emergency food assistance have either expired or been changed. Trump's tax and spending bill made cuts to federal aid programs like food benefits and Medicaid, which Frosh says will likely make things worse for these families. And lower income households are hurt most when the cost of everyday goods goes.

[Dan Frosch]

Up because they have less wiggle room to adjust their spending. And so even though folks are seeing their salaries, their earnings go up, frankly, across all income levels, including working class folks. They find themselves in an even more perilous economic situation.

[Shamita Basu]

That is what is happening to families like Felicia Allen. She works the graveyard shift as a nursing assistant in New York, which allows her to return home in the morning to care for her four kids. Her salary just went up. She's now making more money than she's ever made, but she's still sitting just above the government's poverty threshold for her family size and her federal food assistance benefits have been slashed roughly in half. Frosh said that people like her are left with a difficult choice.

[Dan Frosch]

Do I try to maybe reduce my hours so I can get more food stamps and then maybe make up some more hours on the back end? It's just another example of this sort of mixing and matching and this very sort of fragile safety net that exists when you don't have enough.

[Shamita Basu]

Trump's mega bill is making that safety net even more fragile by pushing more responsibility for the funding of programs like food aid onto states.

[Dan Frosch]

I think the next year is going to be really telling as to whether it's going to become even more difficult for them or whether their salary increases are going to sort of give them a little bit of a financial cushion that will help them sort of weather this period of time.

[Shamita Basu]

Lets turn now to how artificial intelligence is reshaping our economy and the potential benefits and risks for the average American. America's largest companies are ramping up their spending on AI in a big way. This week Google announced it'll spend $9 billion to expand cloud and AI infrastructure in Oklahoma over the next two years. That's on top of pledges that the company and others like Microsoft, Amazon and Meta have made this year to collectively spend over$3 billion on artificial intelligence infrastructure. And our parent company Apple has committed $600 billion to expanding US manufacturing, a portion of which will include investments in AI.

[Garrett de Vinck]

It's just a mind boggling amount of money that big tech is spending on AI right now.

[Shamita Basu]

Garrett de Vinck covers artificial intelligence for the Washington Post.

[Garrett de Vinck]

The numbers out there are just bigger than anything we've really seen in corporate history.

[Shamita Basu]

Taken together, the spending on AI by America's largest companies has outpaced the spending by the US Government on education, training, employment and social services so far this fiscal year. In fact, these companies are spending more on AI than the entire European Union spent on defense last year.

[Garrett de Vinck]

AI companies continue to argue that this spending is necessary, that AI is the biggest thing that's happened potentially in our lifetimes. You know, maybe we'll have a bigger economic and social impact than even the Internet.

[Shamita Basu]

Some economists and analysts say this money could help to offset some of the weaknesses we have seen in recent economic reports, like sluggish job growth and more cautious consumer spending. Some of the money spent on AI will go toward building and expanding data centers, which could create more jobs both for constructing and maintaining these facilities. The Federal Reserve has projected that the US economy will grow by 1.4% this year. Some economists believe AI spending alone could account for roughly half of that. And Wall street so far has rewarded these companies for their spending, increasing their market value and making them an even bigger part of the overall stock market. But as AI plays a bigger role in the US economy, it also introduces new risks.

[Garrett de Vinck]

If the AI companies suddenly decide we don't want to keep putting tens of billions of dollars into AI every couple months, suddenly that growth all just evaporates.

[Shamita Basu]

And there are concerns that any jobs created by AI would be offset by jobs lost that the technology eventually renders obsolete. Investments in AI infrastructure like data centers add a steep cost to tech companies bottom lines. If their revenue and profit assumptions ultimately prove to be overly optimistic, they might have to cut back on their current pace of spending. And Devink points out, should the AI boom slow down, at some point, many Americans personal finances could be impacted in ways they might not realize.

[Garrett de Vinck]

If you have a 401k and that's invested largely in the stock market, well, big tech companies actually make up a huge part of the stock market right now. So even if you think, oh well, my investments are spread out among all the public companies that are out there, well, they may actually be pretty concentrated in these big tech companies that are making this bet on AI right now.

[Shamita Basu]

For now, Devinks says there are no signs big tech companies are wavering on these bets they're making. Before we let you go, a few other stories. We're following some movement in the battle over redistricting taking place across the country. First, Democrats from the Texas House who fled the state to prevent Republicans from passing newly drawn congressional maps are set to return home after the state legislation legislature adjourns today. Democrats left Texas for Illinois, New York and Massachusetts to break quorum in the Texas Legislature and stall the GOP's plan to secure an additional five Republican seats in the U.S. house. President Trump pressured Texas to gerrymander congressional maps to secure up to five more Republican seats in an effort to maintain control of the house after the 2026 midterm elections. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has vowed to call as many special legislative sessions as needed until the new maps are. Meanwhile, California governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is calling for a special election in November, asking voters to suspend the state's current congressional maps and adopt new ones that could add an additional five Democratic seats to California's congressional delegation. At a rally and press conference where Newsom announced his plan, more than a dozen ICE agents, some of them armed, gathered outside. Despite the event not having to do with immigration, local elected leaders expressed outrage, with LA Mayor Karen Bass calling it unacceptable. Politico reports DOGE drastically exaggerated the amount of money it has saved the federal government through cutting federal contracts. Doge claims it saved more than $50 billion. But according to Politico's analysis of public data and federal spending records, the agency realistically has only saved $1.4 billion, a figure POLITICO reports will do nothing to lower the national deficit unless Congress steps in. Politico says faulty math in the way DOGE accounts for federal spending is what led to the disproportionate figures. And finally, if you notice this summer has been more humid than previous ones, you're right. A measurement of moist conditions created by NASA last year called the Stickiness Index, says this summer is one of the stickiest ever. The index tracks heat plus humidity to calculate just how sticky conditions are and what drives the wet, hot weather this year. Hot temperatures combined with leftover moisture from a wet spring are why it's been so bad. Researchers say it's important to understand this kind of data to mitigate risks because humid heat is the most dangerous, especially to older adults and kids, one expert told npr, doing things like wearing loose fitting clothes, hydrating and closing your blinds are just a few ways to keep yourself safe. If you don't have air conditioning. You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the news app right now, stick around for the latest episode of Apple News. In conversation this week, I spoke with New Yorker contributing writer Eyal Press about President Trump's no tax on tips policy, a measure that's often framed as a win for workers. But the real force behind this idea is a powerful lobbying group, the National Restaurant association, that's mostly fighting for restaurant owners, owners and managers.

[Garrett de Vinck]

It presents itself as the champion of mom and pop restaurants. And who's against that, right? But when you look at the nra, you do find that there are big restaurant chains you know that are behind it. There's very big money, and a lot of restaurants don't subscribe to its agenda.

[Shamita Basu]

If you're listening in the podcast app. Follow Apple News in conversation to find that episode. Enjoy your week weekend and I'll be back with the news on Monday.