World

(WASHINGTON) — With Ukraine’s future in the balance, a high-stakes meeting on Friday between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy devolved into a shouting match.

The stunning exchange, before cameras and one unlike any other in the Oval Office in modern times, saw Trump and Vice President JD Vance rebuke Zelenskyy for his handling of the war, again falsely blaming the Ukrainian leader for a conflict that began when Russia’s Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy was in Washington to sign an agreement that would give U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. But that was before boiling tensions exploded into public view as Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” toward the United States and the Trump administration.

Their news conference, where they were to sign the deal, was canceled. Trump issued a terse statement and Zelenskyy left shortly after.

“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” Trump said in a social media post. “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

Here are key takeaways.

Trump threatens Zelenskyy: ‘Make a deal or we’re out’

After boxing Ukraine and Europe out of initial peace talks with Russia, Trump is continuing to claim Ukraine doesn’t have the “cards right now.”

“You’re gambling with World War III,” Trump told Zelenskyy as they talked over each other in the Oval Office.

he American president then seemed to deliver a kind of ultimatum to the Ukrainian leader.

“You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out,” Trump said. “And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out.”

Vance gets involved, confronts Zelenskyy

At one point, Vance stepped in to defend Trump’s diplomatic approach, including his talks with Putin, and take aim at Zelenskyy.

Vance demanded to know whether Zelensky has said “thank you” once.

“Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance said to Zelenskyy. “Right now, you guys are going around enforcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”

Zelenskyy tried to interject to ask Vance if he’s ever been to Ukraine to see the destruction.

“First of all, during the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future,” he told Vance.

Trump then jumped in again to chastise Zelenskyy: “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”

Zelenskyy calls Putin a ‘terrorist’

Prior to the blow-up between the leaders, Zelenskyy had harsh words for Putin.

“I really count on your strong position to stop Putin,” Zelenskyy said to Trump. “And you said that enough with the war. I think that’s very important being to say these words to Putin at the very beginning, at the very beginning of war, because he is a killer and terrorist. But I hope that together we can stop him.”

The comments come amid the radical shift in U.S. foreign policy that saw the U.S. first hold peace talks with Russian counterparts. Trump has called Zelenskyy a “dictator” but has declined to call Putin the same. On Thursday, Trump said he trusts Putin to “keep his word” if a deal is reached.

On Friday, Trump pushed back that he wasn’t “aligned” with Putin.

“I’m not aligned with Putin. I’m not aligned with anybody. I’m aligned with the United States of America, and for the good of the world. I’m alive with the world, and I want to get this thing over with,” Trump said.

But he then seemed to suggest Zelenskyy was a major obstacle in negotiations: “You see the hatred he’s got for Putin? It’s very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON and ROME) — Pope Francis suffered a “sudden worsening of his respiratory condition,” after an “isolated attack of bronchospasm” which caused vomiting with inhalation, the Vatican said on Friday.

A bronchospasm is a coughing attack.

The pope underwent broncho aspiration and was put on non-invasive mechanical ventilation, with a good response in terms of gas exchange, the Vatican said.

The pontiff, who has been hospitalized in Rome since Feb. 14, remained alert and oriented while receiving treatment, the Vatican said.

His prognosis remains “uncertain,” the Vatican said.

Earlier Friday, the Vatican press office said the pope had a peaceful evening of rest in hospital and is continuing his recovery in the hospital.

“As in recent days, the night passed peacefully and the Pope is now resting,” the Vatican said.

Officials said that Pope Francis’ condition continued to improve on Thursday, with the pontiff alternating between high-flow oxygen therapy and a ventimask, according to the Vatican.

“Given the complexity of his clinical condition, further days of clinical stability are needed to clarify the prognosis,” the Vatican said.

“For the second time, there is no mention of a critical condition,” Vatican sources told ABC News. “So we can say that we have come out of the most critical phase and we are back to what was previously described as a complex picture.”

On Thursday, the pope dedicated the morning to respiratory physiotherapy and rest. In the afternoon, he gathered in prayer in the chapel of the private apartment on the 10th floor, receiving the Eucharist. The pope then dedicated himself to work activities, according to the Vatican.

“The bulletin again speaks of an improvement, a slight one, but an improvement, but the fact that the prognosis is reserved means that the doctors still have concerns,” Vatican sources told ABC News.

The pontiff, who has led the Catholic Church since 2013, was diagnosed with pneumonia last week, according to the Vatican.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, has conducted a “large-scale hit against child sexual exploitation” whose members are part of a criminal group engaging in the distribution of images of minors fully generated by artificial intelligence, authorities said.

With support from 19 countries in Europe, a total of 25 arrests were made worldwide in the operation — named Operation Cumberland — that was led by Danish law enforcement and carried out simultaneously on Wednesday, according to Europol.

In total, 273 suspects were identified, 25 arrests were made and 33 house searches were conducted, Europol said.

“The main suspect, a Danish national who was arrested in November 2024, ran an online platform where he distributed the AI-generated material he produced,” officials said. “Following a symbolic online payment, users from around the world were able to obtain a password to access the platform and watch children being abused.”

Operation Cumberland has been “one of the first cases involving AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), making it exceptionally challenging for investigators, especially due to the lack of national legislation addressing these crimes,” Europol said. “In this regard, EU Member States are currently discussing a common regulation proposed by the European Commission to tackle this new situation and protect children from being sexually abused and exploited.”

More arrests are expected in the coming weeks in the ongoing operation.

“These artificially generated images are so easily created that they can be produced by individuals with criminal intent, even without substantial technical knowledge,” said Catherine De Bolle, Europol’s executive director. “This contributes to the growing prevalence of child sexual abuse material, and as the volume increases, it becomes progressively more challenging for investigators to identify offenders or victims. Law enforcement will need to develop new investigative methods and tools to address these emerging challenges.”

Online child sexual exploitation remains one of the most threatening manifestations of cybercrime in the European Union and continues to be one of the top priorities for law enforcement agencies, which are dealing with an ever-growing volume of illegal content, Europol said.

“Self-generated child sexual material constitutes a significant share of the CSAM that is detected. AI models able to generate or alter images are being abused by offenders to produce CSAM and for sexual extorsion. Such models are widely available and have developed quickly, with output that now increasingly resembles genuine material, making it harder to identify as artificially generated,” Europol said.

“This poses significant challenges to authorities in identifying the real victims. Even in cases when the content is fully artificial and there is no real victim depicted, such as Operation Cumberland, AI-generated CSAM still contributes to the objectification and sexualisation of children,” officials continued.

Europol said that it, along with its partners, will be launching an online campaign in the coming days highlighting the consequences of using AI for illegal purposes and targeting potential offenders where they are most active: online. The campaign will use online messages to reach buyers of illegal content, as well as other methods such as knock-and-talks, social media messages and warning letters.

“Operation Cumberland demonstrates an ongoing coordinated effort by law enforcement to tackle this threat comprehensively, from arresting criminals to preventing future crimes through education, deterrence and providing support to those who want to seek support or help,” Europol said.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(ROME) — The Vatican press office has released a statement saying the pope had a peaceful evening of rest in hospital and is continuing his recovery in the hospital on Friday morning.

“As in recent days, the night passed peacefully and the Pope is now resting,” the Vatican said.

Officials said that Pope Francis’ condition continued to improve on Thursday, with the pontiff alternating between high-flow oxygen therapy and a ventimask, according to the Vatican.

“Given the complexity of his clinical condition, further days of clinical stability are needed to clarify the prognosis,” the Vatican said.

“For the second time, there is no mention of a critical condition,” Vatican sources told ABC News. “So we can say that we have come out of the most critical phase and we are back to what was previously described as a complex picture.”

On Thursday, the pope dedicated the morning to respiratory physiotherapy and rest. After a session of physiotherapy, in the afternoon, he gathered in prayer in the chapel of the private apartment on the 10th floor, receiving the Eucharist. The pope then dedicated himself to work activities, according to the Vatican.

“The bulletin again speaks of an improvement, a slight one, but an improvement, but the fact that the prognosis is reserved means that the doctors still have concerns,” Vatican sources told ABC News.

The pontiff, who has led the Catholic Church since 2013, was diagnosed with pneumonia last week, according to the Vatican.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — A once-powerful drug lord convicted of one of the most notorious killings in the history of the Mexican narco wars is among 29 individuals Mexico transferred Thursday to the United States, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

Among those extradited is Rafael Caro Quintero, who was convicted of the 1985 torture and murder of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.

Camarena joined the DEA in 1974, the year after its founding.

For more than four years in Mexico, Camarena investigated the country’s biggest marijuana and cocaine traffickers.

In early 1985, close to unlocking a multibillion-dollar drug pipeline, he was kidnapped while headed to a luncheon with his wife. His capture and torture were dramatized in Season 1 of the Netflix show “Narcos.”

Quintero was arrested in Mexico and convicted of Camarena’s murder later that same year.

He was released in 2013 after serving 28 years of his 40-year sentence when a Mexican judge ruled that he had been improperly tried. Quintero promptly went into hiding, as U.S. officials stridently condemned the release.

In 2018, he was added to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list, with a $20 million reward available for information leading to his arrest or capture.

At the time, the FBI said that he was allegedly involved in the Sinaloa cartel and the Caro-Quintero drug trafficking organization in the region of Badiraguato in Sinaloa, Mexico, and warned that he should be considered “armed and extremely dangerous.”

The criminal ringleader was once again detained in Mexico in 2022, nearly 10 years after his release.

“We will be seeking his immediate extradition to the United States so he can be tried for these crimes in the very justice system Special Agent Camarena died defending,” a statement from then-Attorney General Merrick Garland read.

That effort was fulfilled Thursday, following a staunch effort on behalf of President Donald Trump’s administration to work with Mexico to curb cartels’ activity — including the decision to designate them foreign terrorism organizations.

“Beyond the name that they give, we share with the U.S. government the fight against these groups due to the violence that they leave in the country,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in February.

The extradition comes less than a week before the U.S. is set to impose 25% tariffs on its southern neighbor.

The other 28 individuals extradited to the U.S. alongside Quintero were wanted for their links with criminal organizations for drug trafficking and other crimes, according to Mexican sources.

Notable among them are: José Ángel Canobbio Inzunza (El Güerito), El Chapito’s right-hand; Antonio Oseguera (Tony Montana), brother of wanted drug lord El Mencho from the Jalisco New Generation cartel; Miguel Ángel y Óscar Omar Treviño Morales (Z40 y Z42) from Los Zetas; and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes (El Viceroy) from the Juárez cartel.

Quintero is expected to be arraigned in Brooklyn Federal Court late Friday morning. DEA agents are expected to pack the courtroom and speak outside court after the arraignment.

ABC News’ T. Michelle Murphy contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON and oROME) — Pope Francis’ condition continued to improve on Thursday, with the pontiff alternating between high-flow oxygen therapy and ventimask, according to the Vatican.

“Given the complexity of his clinical condition, further days of clinical stability are needed to clarify the prognosis,” the Vatican said.

The pope dedicated the morning to respiratory physiotherapy and rest. After a session of physiotherapy, in the afternoon, he gathered in prayer in the chapel of the private apartment on the 10th floor, receiving the Eucharist. The pope then dedicated himself to work activities, according to the Vatican.

The Vatican said that the pope “slept well during the night and is now resting” peacefully on Thursday morning as the pontiff begins his 14th day in hospital.

Pope Francis’ condition improved slightly on Wednesday, though officials said they “remain guarded” over his prognosis, according to the Vatican.

The slight renal insufficiency the pope had in recent days has subsided and a Tuesday CAT scan of the chest showed a normal evolution of the pulmonary inflammatory picture.

The blood chemistry and blood cell count tests carried out Wednesday have confirmed the pope’s improvement, but he remains on high-flow oxygen therapy and did not have any asthmatic-like respiratory crises.

The pontiff, who has led the Catholic Church since 2013, was diagnosed with pneumonia last week, according to the Vatican.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — At least 10 people have been injured after a car rammed into a bus stop in Israel, at Karkur Junction, according to Israeli police.

The suspect is a 53-year-old Palestinian from the Jenin area who is married to an Israeli citizen and living in Israel without a permit, according to police.

The driver ran over and injured several civilians standing at the bus stop, police said. The driver has been “neutralized,” police said.

A 17-year-old girl was critically injured, two others seriously wounded, one moderately injured and six others suffered minor injuries, police said.

The critically injured teen suffered head and limb injuries and is now sedated and ventilated, according to Magen David Adom, the Israeli emergency services agency. A 60-year-old male with head and limb injuries has also been sedated and ventilated and a 19-year-old female with head injuries is conscious, Magen David Adom said. A 18-year-old female with limb injuries is in moderate condition and is fully conscious.

“It was a severe scene. When we arrived with large forces, we saw the injured, some of them lying on a dirt mound behind the bus stop,” Orly Keinan, an EMT with the group, said. “They told us they were hit by a vehicle that had mounted the sidewalk and fled. We provided them with lifesaving treatment, including stopping bleeding, bandaging, and immobilization, before evacuating them to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

 

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — Controversial influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate have landed in Florida, after Romanian officials announced that court restrictions prohibiting them from leaving Romania while awaiting trial were lifted.

The pair were traveling aboard a private jet after being allowed to leave Romania, according to a source close to the brothers.

Their spokesperson shared a live feed of the plane arriving in Fort Lauderdale late Thursday morning.

The charges against the Tates remain in force, and they will be expected to return to Romania for court appearances, according to a statement from Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, or DIICOT.

The brothers had been confined to Romania since late 2022 when they were arrested on allegations of human trafficking, sexual abuse, money laundering and forming an organized criminal group.

They were charged in 2023 and have denied the allegations.

The Tates’ departure follows reports that Trump administration officials had lobbied Romania to lift a travel ban on them while they are awaiting trial.

A lawyer for an American woman who is one of the key alleged victims in the Romanian criminal case against Andrew Tate condemned the Trump administration after he was allowed to leave Romania.

“It seems clear the U.S. intervened in Romania to assist the Tate brothers who are being prosecuted for sex trafficking over 35 women including minors,” Dani Pinter, senior vice president at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, said in a statement. “This is a slap in the face to all the victims of the Tate brothers especially the U.S. victim who is not being protected by her country.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said his office had no involvement in the case and found out through the media that the brothers were traveling to Florida.

“But the reality is, no, Florida is not a place where you’re welcome with that type of conduct in the air,” he said when asked by a reporter at an unrelated press conference on Thursday if Andrew Tate is welcome in Florida.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — Israel will not withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor — the border separating Egypt and Gaza — as stipulated by the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, an Israeli official confirmed to ABC News.

“We will not allow Hamas murderers to once again roam our borders with pickup trucks and guns, and we will not allow them to rebuild strength from smuggling,” an Israeli official said in a statement.

The Philadelphi corridor was one of the main sticking points in negotiations between Israel and Hamas for months before the current ceasefire deal was reached. This refusal could lead to a crisis with both Hamas and Egypt, the key mediator, at a delicate time for the already fragile truce.

Israel was supposed to begin withdrawing from the Philadelphi corridor — and the entire Gaza Strip — on Saturday, the last day of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. Israel was to complete its withdrawal from the corridor within eight days.

Management of the corridor is a red line for Hamas, which had refused to accept ceasefire proposals that did not require Israel to withdraw its troops from the border region.

Israeli officials have said in recent months that they believed the Israeli army had to stay in the Philadelphi corridor to prevent weapons being smuggled through the Egyptian border, back into Gaza, though Israel has destroyed tunnels in that area.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said at a meeting with local leaders that he had seen tunnels penetrating the border on a recent visit to the corridor.

Former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant had publicly opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that Israel must remain in the corridor — and in the Netzarim corridor, which divides north and south Gaza — to maintain its security and achieve its military goals and maintain its security.

In August, then-Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said holding on to any part of Gaza or the Philadelphi corridor are conditions Israel should not use as an excuse to break a potential deal with Hamas. The Israeli army can deal with both being out of Gaza and giving up control of Philadelphi, according to Halevi.

The first phase of the ceasefire ends on Saturday.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — Ukraine is “preparing for negotiations” with the U.S. regarding security guarantees and “crucial” aid, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, with the Ukrainian leader expected to travel to Washington, D.C. on Friday to meet with President Donald Trump and sign a minerals deal.

Kyiv is maneuvering to win a U.S. security agreement as part of the proposed minerals deal, a “preliminary framework” of which Ukraine has been working on, Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday.

But Trump said he would not offer any security guarantees to Ukraine “beyond very much,” as part of any agreement. “We’re going to have Europe do that,” he told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

In a video statement posted to the presidential website on Wednesday evening, Zelenskyy said his team is “working to ensure that Ukrainian positions are protected under any circumstances.”

“And this is one of the key conditions for the diplomacy we need — for the right diplomacy that will guarantee peace for Ukraine,” he added.

The president said there “was a lot of international work” on Wednesday. “Our teams are working with the United States, we are preparing for negotiations as early as this Friday. The agreement with America. Support for our state and people.”

“Guarantees of peace and security — this is the key to ensuring that Russia will no longer destroy the lives of other nations,” Zelenskyy said. “I will meet with President Trump. For me and for all of us in the world, it is crucial that America’s assistance is not stopped. Strength is essential on the path to peace.”

Trump said Wednesday that he expects to sign the minerals deal with Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, adding that his administration is “happy” with the deal. Trump has framed the agreement as a means to recoup American wartime aid to Ukraine.

The countries agreed to a deal relating to critical minerals and other resources, a senior Ukrainian official said on Tuesday.

Details of the deal appear to suggest Kyiv has succeeded in significantly improving the terms, perhaps staring down some of the Trump administration’s more onerous demands.

The $500 billion demanded by Trump no longer features in the deal, and the fund that Ukraine will pay into is also no longer going to be 100% U.S.-owned, according to the full text of the agreement obtained by ABC News.

Ukraine agreed to contribute 50% of all revenue from its natural resources to a fund jointly owned by Ukraine and the U.S., according to the deal.

The natural resource assets include those directly or indirectly owned by the Ukrainian government and are defined as “deposits of minerals, hydrocarbons, oil, natural gas and other extractable materials, and other infrastructure relevant to natural resource assets (such as liquified natural gas terminals and port infrastructure).”

Zelenskyy, though, warned that any deal will not be viable without U.S. security backing.

“Without future security guarantees, we will not have a real ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said. “And if we don’t have it, nothing will work. Nothing will work.”

ABC News’ Patrick Reevell, Hannah Demissie, Rachel Scott and Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.