#5SmartReads - June 17, 2021

First person: What I learned in the room with Vladimir Putin (Axios)

The US-Russia relationship over the past 80 years is one of the rare instances where the truth is stranger than fiction.

Don’t believe me? Just read Red Notice.

Watching the past 3 presidents face off with Putin is one of those nerdy things I am fascinated by. This piece is a really fascinating look at how Putin projects himself and his power in bilateral meetings, and I’m extremely curious on how Biden handles him.