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Vladimir Putin-or, if you’re of a certain bent, the actor portraying him-attempts a smile at his meeting with Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, the first time the Russian leader had been seen in many days.

Paul Waldman is a weekly columnist and senior writer for The American Prospect. He also writes for the Plum Line blog at The Washington Post and The Week and is the author of Being Right Is Not Enough: What Progressives Must Learn From Conservative Success. Follow @paulwaldman1