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French Parliament member wants US to return Statue of Liberty: 'Apparently you despise it'
A French Parliament member is demanding that the U.S. return the Statue of Liberty to France, who gifted it to the Americans in the 1880s.
Center-left politician Raphaël Glucksmann made the comments at a recent convention of his political party, Place Publique.
"We're going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: 'Give us back the Statue of Liberty,'" he told supporters, according to Le Monde, a French newspaper.
"We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So, it will be just fine here at home," he added.
HUGE UNEXPLODED WORLD WAR II-ERA BOMB FOUND IN CROWDED PARIS RESIDENTIAL AREA
France presented the Statue of Liberty to America on July 4, 1884, before it was later unveiled in New York City on Oct. 28, 1886, by then-President Grover Cleveland for the centennial of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
The statue was designed by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi and weighs about 450,000 pounds and stands at 305 feet tall.
A much smaller copy of the statue is displayed on Allée des Cygnes, a small island on the Seine River in Paris. The Lady Liberty replica was gifted to France by the U.S. in 1889 to mark 100 years since the French Revolution.
Glucksmann, a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia, has panned President Donald Trump for pulling back support for the country in its fight against Moscow's invasion since February 2022.
He also criticized Trump for cutting federal funding to U.S. colleges and research institutions, a move that led to a French government initiative aiming to bring some of them to France.
TRUMP SAYS HE WILL BE SPEAKING WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN ON TUESDAY
"The second thing we're going to say to the Americans is: if you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world's leading power, then we're going to welcome them," Glucksmann said.
Glucksmann also criticized right-wing members of the French Parliament for being a "fan club" for Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, a senior advisor to Trump who also leads the Department of Government Efficiency.
US military shoots down Houthi drones as Trump's strikes against terrorist group continue
U.S. warships have shot down roughly a dozen Houthi drones since President Donald Trump launched airstrikes against the terrorist organization on Saturday, Fox News has learned.
A senior defense official told Fox News of the developments on Sunday. The drones were aimed at the U.S. Navy's Truman Carrier Strike Group, and were shot down "well before" they posed a serious threat, the official added.
The latest military action came after nearly a year and a half of attacks from Houthis, both on commercial merchant vessels and U.S. military ships. In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump wrote that he had "ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen."
"It has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden," Trump continued. "The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times."
US NAVY SHIPS REPEL ATTACK FROM HOUTHIS IN GULF OF ADEN
Trump wrote that the "relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk."
"To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!" his post concluded.
Trump re-designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in January. His first administration had named the Houthis as an FTO, but the Biden administration later reversed the move.
On Sunday, the White House released photos of Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz monitoring the strikes.
"President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats," the White House wrote on X. "For too long American economic & national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency."
Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
Pope Francis seen for first time since being admitted to hospital: photo
The Vatican released a photo of Pope Francis observing Mass on Sunday, highlighting how his health has gradually improved over recent days.
The photograph is the first picture of Pope Francis that has been released since he was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14. He was diagnosed with a complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection that worsened before improving earlier last week.
On Monday, the Vatican said that he was "out of danger from death" and that the "clinical conditions of the Holy Father continue to be stable."
POPE FRANCIS' MEDICAL CONDITION: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BILATERAL PNEUMONIA
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
Dozens dead, more than 100 injured in North Macedonia nightclub fire
A fire broke out in a nightclub in North Macedonia early Sunday, killing 51 people and injuring more than 100 others, authorities said.
Pyrotechnic devices sparked the fire at around 2:35 a.m. during a concert by a local pop group at the Pulse nightclub in the town of Kocani, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told reporters.
"Sparks caused fire … and fire spread through the discotheque," he said, according to Reuters.
The injured were rushed to hospitals across the country. Many of the injured suffered severe burns, officials said.
MYRTLE BEACH WOMAN IGNITED SOUTH CAROLINA WILDFIRE THAT SCORCHED 2K ACRES, AUTHORITIES SAY
Health Minister Arben Taravari said 118 people were hospitalized.
"All our capabilities have been put to use, in a maximum effort to save as many lives as possible of the young people involved in this tragedy," Taravari told reporters, adding that neighboring countries Albania, Bulgaria and Greece have offered help.
The club was in an old building that was previously a carpet warehouse and has been running for several years, according to local media MKD.
'EXTERMINATION' SITE DISCOVERED IN MEXICO WITH CREMATION OVENS, HUMAN REMAINS
The blaze gutted the single-story building and caused the roof to partially collapse. Police cordoned off the area as teams gathered evidence from inside the building.
"This is a difficult and very sad day for Macedonia. The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the pain of the families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable," Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski wrote on X.
"The people and the government will do everything in their power to at least slightly alleviate their pain and help them in these most difficult moments," he continued.
Toshkovski said authorities would investigate the venue’s licensing and safety provisions, adding that the government had a "moral responsibility" to help prosecute anyone responsible. Police have arrested one man already, but he didn’t provide details on the person’s involvement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
'Extermination' site discovered in Mexico with cremation ovens, human remains
For families in Mexico searching for missing loved ones, the grim discovery of what is being called an "extermination" site with human remains and ovens, could be their worst fears some true.
Mexican authorities are now investigating the site in the western state of Jalisco, first found last week by a group of volunteers that was believed, by the volunteers, to have been used by one of the area's cartels known as the New Generation Jalisco Cartel.
Inside its iron gates were an increasing number of horrors, including cremation ovens, bone fragments, hundreds of pairs of shoes, clothing and even children’s toys.
"They'd see the shoes and say: 'those look like the ones my missing relative was wearing when they disappeared,’" Luz Toscano, one of the volunteers, told BBC News.
The ranch, near the village of Teuchitlán, was raided last September by Mexican authorities who failed to find or reveal the discovery of human remains.
At the time of the raid, 10 arrests were made, two hostages were released, and a body was found wrapped in plastic.
After authorities began searching this week, they said they also found almost 100 shell casings.
None of the remains have been identified, and the number is not yet known, but the number of personal items left behind is around 700.
"The number of the victims that presumably could have been buried there is enormous," Eduardo Guerrero, a security analyst in Mexico City, told The New York Times. "And it resurfaced the nightmarish reminder that Mexico is plagued with mass graves."
The discovery, based on an anonymous tip, has dominated the headlines, shocking a country that has become inured by mass graves and promoted citizens to call on authorities to crack down on cartel violence.
There are 120,000 "forcibly disappeared" people in Mexico.
Jalisco state Gov. Pablo Lemus told critics in a video message this week that his office is fully cooperating with federal investigators and no one is "washing their hands" of the case, according to BBC News.
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The ranch in Teuchitlan, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) west of Guadalajara was allegedly being used as a training base for cartel recruits when National Guard troops found it last September.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Greenland government calls Trump's acquisition talks 'unacceptable'
The government of Greenland called President Donald Trump's comments about taking control of the country "unacceptable" in a statement Friday.
Officials noted the statement was prompted by Trump's meeting with the NATO secretary general Thursday, when he reportedly "reiterated his desire for annexation and control of Greenland."
In response, the leaders of all political parties elected to Inatsisartut, the Parliament of Greenland that includes the Demokraatit, Naleraq, Inuit Ataqatigiit, Siumut and Atassut parties, issued the statement on X.
GREENLAND PM SEEKS INDEPENDENCE FOLLOWING TRUMP ACQUISITION COMMENTS
"We — all the party leaders — cannot accept the repeated statements regarding annexation and control of Greenland," leaders wrote. "We find this behavior toward friends and allies in a defense alliance unacceptable."
They added they "must underscore that Greenland will continue serving ITS people through diplomatic relations, in accordance with international law."
The document was signed by Greenlandic politicians Jens Frederik Nielsen of the Demokraatit party, Pele Broberg of the Naleraq, Múte B. Egede of the Inuit Ataqatigiit, Vivian Motzfeldt of the Siumut and Aqqalu C. Jerimiassen of the Atassut.
"We all support this wholeheartedly and strongly distance ourselves from attempts to create discord. Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people, and we (as leaders) stand in unison," they wrote.
In the country's recent parliamentary elections, the Demokraatit party defeated Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede’s party, Inuit Ataqatigiit.
Independence from Denmark became a core election issue in Trump’s continued comments about U.S. acquisition of Greenland.
Trump tried in his first term to buy the mineral-rich, key geographical territory in what he called a "large real estate deal."
TRUMP: US CONSIDERING POSSIBLY BUYING GREENLAND
Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede said in January the country was "not for sale and will never be for sale."
American interest in Greenland dates back to the 1800s.
In 1867, the State Department looked into purchasing Greenland and Iceland, but after World War II, Denmark rejected a proposed $100 million deal from President Harry Truman.
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Acquiring the land would mark the largest expansion of American territory in history, topping the Louisiana Purchase.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf contributed to this story.
Pope remains stable after month in hospital as he continues treatments and works from bedside
Pope Francis remains stable as he continues his recovery one month after he was hospitalized for a bout of bronchitis that turned into pneumonia.
"The clinical conditions of the Holy Father have remained stable, confirming the progress highlighted in the last week," a medical bulletin from the Vatican’s Holy See Press Office said in an update on Saturday.
It was the first medical update in three days.
While working from the Gemelli hospital, the pope was able to sign off on a three-year reform project that aims to make the Church a more welcoming place.
POPE FRANCIS NOW 'OUT OF DANGER FROM DEATH' AS HEALTH CONDITION CONTINUES TO IMPROVE
He also spent the day praying and resting.
The Vatican added that the pope’s high-flow oxygen therapy continues, which is progressively reducing his need for non-invasive mechanical ventilation at night and will help his lungs work more.
"The Holy Father still needs hospital medical therapy, motor and respiratory physiotherapy," the bulletin added, noting that these therapies show "gradual improvements."
Francis was first admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14, after a week-long fight against bronchitis gradually worsened, ultimately turning into double pneumonia.
This week, his health improved significantly, with the Vatican saying he was now "out of danger of death."
The 88-year-old spent time on Wednesday following spiritual exercises in the Vatican, receiving the Eucharist, praying and completing physical therapy.
POPE FRANCIS NOW EATING SOLID FOODS, ‘SHOWING SLIGHT GRADUAL IMPROVEMENTS,’ VATICAN SAYS
This week marked the 12-year anniversary of the pope’s election to lead the Roman Catholic Church.
The pope’s condition has been complicated, because he had part of his lung removed as a child after a pulmonary infection.
A chest X-ray on Tuesday confirmed improvements observed by medical staff in previous days, but his situation remains "complex," meaning he will have to spend more time in the hospital.
An X-ray this week confirmed that his infection was clearing.
The Vatican said that the pope’s condition has improved to the point where updates will only be given when there is new information.
The next update will be in the middle of next week, the Vatican said.
The pope released an audio message earlier this month, thanking people for their well-wishes, which was played in St. Peter’s Square.
But for the last four Sundays, the blessing the pope gives from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square has been delivered in text form only.
The pontiff participated in Lenten spiritual exercises from the hospital this week and received get-well cards and a cake to celebrate his 12th anniversary as pope.
Meanwhile, as the pope continues his treatments, the nuns who work the Vatican's switchboard are fielding calls from those concerned about his health.
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"They feel like children waiting to know about their father," Sister Anthony, who runs the operation in an office near St. Peter’s Basilica, told the Associated Press. "We tell them to pray for him."
Fox News' Elizabeth Pritchett and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cuba still largely without power after nationwide grid collapse
Cuba remained largely without power on Saturday morning, after the island nation's grid collapsed the night before, knocking out electricity for 10 million people and raising fresh questions about the viability of its antiquated generating system.
At sunrise, the island's grid operator UNE said it was generating only a trickle of electricity - around 225 MW, or less than 10% of total demand, enough to cover some vital services like hospitals, water supply and food production centers.
CUBA WORKING TO REESTABLISH ELECTRICAL SERVICE AFTER SECOND GRID COLLAPSE
Officials said they had begun the process of firing up the country's decades-old generation plants, but gave no timeline for restoring service.
Cuba´s grid failed Friday evening around 8:15 p.m. (0015 GMT) after an aging component of a transmission line at a substation in Havana shorted, beginning a chain reaction that completely shut down power generation across the island, UNE officials said.
The grid collapse follows a string of nationwide blackouts late last year that plunged Cuba's frail power generating system into near-total disarray, stressed by fuel shortages, natural disaster and economic crisis.
Most Cubans outside the country's capital of Havana have already been living for months with rolling blackouts that peaked at 20 hours a day in recent weeks.
Havana was still largely without electricity on Saturday morning. Light traffic navigated intersections with no functioning stoplights and cellular internet was weak or non-existent in some areas.
Abel Bonne chatted with friends on Havana's Malecon waterfront boulevard early Saturday, taking in the fresh sea breeze after a stuffy night without power.
"Right now, no one knows when the power will come back on," he said. "This is the first time this had happened this year, but last year it happened three times."
Severe shortages of food, medicine and water have made life increasingly unbearable for many Cubans, and people have been fleeing the island in recent years in record-breaking numbers.
Cuba blames its economic woes on a Cold War-era U.S. trade embargo, a web of laws and regulations that complicate financial transactions and the acquisition of essentials like fuel and spare parts.
A grid official on Saturday morning said Cuba had been unable to update antiquated transmission and generation components because of the restrictions.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently tightened sanctions on the island's communist-run government, vowing to restore a "tough" policy toward the long-time U.S. foe.
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Havana resident Yunior Reyes, a bike taxi driver, was back on the job Saturday morning despite the blackout, fretting that his food reserves might spoil in the day's heat.
"We're all in the same situation," he said. "It's a lot of work."
Trump announces 'decisive and powerful' airstrikes against Houthi terrorists in Yemen
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he has ordered airstrikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that he had "ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen."
"They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones," Trump's post read.
"Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going," Trump continued. "It has been over a year since a U.S. flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden."
US NAVY SHIPS REPEL ATTACK FROM HOUTHIS IN GULF OF ADEN
This is a breaking news story. Check back with us for updates.
Freed Israeli hostage speaks for the first time about his 505 days of surviving Hamas hell
EXCLUSIVE: Buried 100 feet underground, with barely enough air to breathe and no light, and sharing a space measuring just six feet by three feet with three other men, recently released hostage Tal Shoham shared with Fox News Digital his harrowing story of survival.
Shoham was forcibly taken from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023. His wife and children, ages four and eight, were also kidnapped that day, but he didn’t know that when he was thrown into the trunk of a car and driven into Gaza by Hamas terrorists. He didn’t even know whether his family was alive; hoping to save them, he surrendered to the terrorists just before they set fire to the house where his family was hiding.
He would spend the eight-and-a-half months in an underground tunnel and another five months captive in five different houses deep inside Gaza, where his captors kept him shackled, starved him and deprived him of basic human comforts.
But he gave himself a mission: He was determined not to lose his humanity. Even in moments when he feared that he was facing death, he tried to stay focused. "I am not a victim. Even if this ends, I will end it with my head high, looking death in the eyes. They won’t break me, and I will not surrender to self-pity. We are stronger than the other side," he said.
It has been three weeks since he came home, and he is ready to speak. Kibbutz Be’eri is just nine kilometers — about five-and-a-half miles — from Gaza, but that short distance is practically an ocean between what he describes as two worlds. "Half-an-hour’s drive, two separate worlds," he said. "The first — unbelievably surreal, cruel beyond reason. And just 30 minutes away [on this side of the border], a world of sanity, logic, dignity and compassion."
He remembers every detail of his 505 days in captivity. Tal wants to tell his story for the sake of the two fellow captives who remain behind, starving, abused and at constant risk of death. "Just as someone emerges from a womb alive, I emerged from the tunnel I was held in and was born again," he says. But the men he calls his "brothers," Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, are still held underground. "I can’t sleep at night knowing they are still there," he says.
Tal and his wife and children had come from the north of Israel to Kibbutz Be’eri to spend the Simchat Torah holiday with his wife’s parents and were in the home when the terror attack began. He said everyone entered the safe room, and as the sounds of gunfire drew closer, they tried to barricade themselves inside. But the terrorists pried open the window, and Tal feared they might toss in a grenade if the family did not surrender. On the same street, the terrorists set fire to every other home, burning the people inside alive.
"I went out and raised my hands," he said. "A man with murder in his eyes led me onto the road and to a vehicle. I saw about 40 heavily armed terrorists. Some of them were filming me on their phones. I was in shock — there was an entire battalion of Hamas terrorists inside our kibbutz, bodies of people I knew who were murdered on the ground, and they are laughing, unafraid."
The terrorists threw him into the trunk of a car and drove him across the border, into Gaza. There, a crowd gathered. "Teenagers with sticks ran toward me, trying to beat me from all sides," he says. Taking him from the car, his captors pointed a rifle at him, ready, he believed, to execute him, and tried to force him to kneel. "I said, ‘I can’t control whether you kill me or not,’ and I raised my hands — but I refused to kneel. ‘If you want to kill me, kill me, but you will not execute me like ISIS.’"
He was then paraded through the streets in what he described as a "victory march." "They were shouting, ‘Soldier! Pig! Zionist!’ A mob gathered around, boys with wooden clubs trying to hit me. But I just waved and smiled. I didn’t show fear. ‘You’ve captured me, but you won’t see terror in my eyes.’"
He was first taken to the home of a family, where he was held, alone and always shackled, for 34 days. Though he was allowed to periodically shower, the captivity was otherwise severe.
His food was strictly rationed. "For the first three days, I had pita bread. Then, they stopped giving me that," he says. "Food supplies dwindled. Some days, I would receive three spoons of avocado and three dates, or half an orange from a tree in the yard."
But the worst torment was not knowing whether his family was alive. "I am 40 years old. Never in my life have I experienced suffering like this. The isolation, being alone with relentless thoughts —that was worse than even extreme hunger."
To endure, he made a heartbreaking decision. "I had to accept that my family was dead," Tal says. "I sat on the floor and imagined myself at their funeral. I stood in front of a grave — one large for my wife, and two small for my children — and I eulogized each of them. I thanked them for the time we had. I told them to move on. I sobbed but didn’t let my captors see me cry. That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done — burying my family in my mind."
AFTER TRUMP THREAT, HAMAS REFUSES TO RELEASE MORE HOSTAGES WITHOUT PHASE 2 CEASEFIRE DEAL
On the 34th day of his captivity, Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal were brought to the home. The Hamas terrorists tortured them daily, hitting them, denying them food while eating in front of them. The hostages were allowed only about 300 calories a day — Shoham's weight dropped from 174 pounds to 110 pounds when he was released — and speaking was forbidden. "We couldn’t move from our beds or talk. We whispered everything," he said.
Then came some glimmer of hope. On the 50th day of his captivity, Tal received proof of life from his wife — a letter telling him she and the children had been held hostage but were being released. "I read it, my hands shaking," he said. "The most important thing had happened — my family was safe. I didn’t need to be a father and husband protecting them anymore. Now, I could focus on my war, the one I knew how to fight, the one for survival."
The Tunnel
By June 2024, Tal, Guy and Evyatar were moved by an ambulance that Hamas used for discreetly transporting hostages, to an underground tunnel, where there already was another captive, Omer Wenkert. There were four mattresses on the floor and a hole in the ground for a toilet. The space was illuminated by a single, dim lightbulb. "It took me weeks to stop feeling like the walls were closing in, to adapt to the oxygen deprivation," Tal says.
They were given just 300 milliliters of water a day — a little more than 10 ounces. They could use it to either drink or wash their hands. Rice was all they had to eat. Months passed. They were beaten, monitored by cameras, randomly deprived of food and sleep. The guards were Hamas tunnel diggers — digging every day, even as war raged above. "Hamas never stopped digging tunnels," Tal Says. "Not for a single day."
The conditions were so bad that both he and Evyatar developed severe infections. But it would be months before a doctor would come to see them. "My leg turned blue, yellow, and purple with internal bleeding," He recalls. "They gave us all blood thinners, fearing we might develop clots from prolonged immobility. Eventually, they realized the issue was malnutrition and provided us with vitamin supplements for seven days. It tasted like dog food, but it dramatically improved our condition."
ISRAEL SAYS HAMAS SENT A TODDLER TO A MILITARY OUTPOST
But the abuse continued. A new guard arrived, even more violent than the previous ones. "He made some of us kneel like dogs and beat us," he says. "He would come in screaming that we were filthy Jews, hit us, and then 10 minutes later, he would smile and bring food."
Then, what seemed like a miracle. Tal and Omer were named as part of the hostage-release deal in February. When he was led outside after many months underground, still blindfolded, he felt moisture on his face. "Is it rain?" he asked. "No," his captors responded, "’It is dew.’ And I realized, my name, Tal, is ‘dew’ in Hebrew. I felt the morning dew on my skin."
There were humiliations to come before he was handed over to the Red Cross and returned to Israel: a procession on a stage in the heart of Rafah where he was forced to repeat Hamas propaganda. But he said he didn’t care — he was going home. When he arrived in Israel, he was taken to the Re’im base, where his wife, Adi, and their two children, Nave and Yahel, were waiting for him. "It was a dream come true, yet it still felt like a dream," Tal says. "It took a few days to fully grasp that it was real. It was hard to take in. The emotions flooded me, like I was floating above everything."
And there was tragic news to absorb. Eleven members of Tal’s family were kidnapped or murdered on October 7. Adi’s father, Avshalom Haran, and two uncles, Lilach and Evyatar Kipnis, were killed. His mother-in-law, Shoshan Haran, was taken, along with two other relatives — Sharon Avigdori and her daughter, Noam Avigdori — who were later released in the first hostage deal. Two other relatives who had come from the United States to celebrate a birthday, 59-year-old Judith Raanan, and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, were also kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz.
And there was joy. During his captivity, four new babies were born into the family. "Among us, the Jewish hostages, there was purity," he said. "There was dignity. The terrorists brought in whatever horrors they wanted, inflicted whatever cruelty and pain they could, imposed their inhumanity on us. But within our space, we preserved our inner cleanliness, our humanity between one another. And that was crucial to making it out unbroken."
Canada’s new PM and Trump critic Mark Carney accused of being out of touch with the 'common man’
OTTAWA-Canada’s self-described ‘globalist’ new Prime Minister Mark Carney immediately aimed fire at President Donald Trump upon winning his party’s leadership contest last week.
Carney criticized President Trump during his acceptance speech when he won the Liberal leadership last Sunday, saying that Canada’s tariffs against the United States will remain until the Americans "show us respect" and added that Canadians "are always ready when someone else drops the gloves."
He also tried to tie Trump to his main challenger. "Donald Trump thinks he can weaken us with his plan to divide and conquer," while "Pierre Poilievre’s plan will leave us divided and ready to be conquered."
"Because a person who worships at the altar of Donald Trump will kneel before him, not stand up to him."
NEW CANADIAN PM BLASTS TRUMP'S 51ST STATE IDEA: 'CRAZY'
Having served as governor of two central banks – of Canada and the United Kingdom - he was also a senior executive at Goldman Sachs and served as the United Nations Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance. Never elected to any office before, Carney was sworn in on Friday to become Canada’s 24th prime minister.
He is expected to call an election this week in a bid to keep the Liberals in power, and for him, to win a seat in the House of Commons.
Count on the official opposition Conservatives, in a dead heat with the Liberals at 37% according to a recent Leger poll, to portray Carney as someone "not connected to the common man" and who has spent a fair amount of time outside Canada, Laura Kurkimaki told Fox News Digital. Kurkimaki served as deputy national campaign manager for the Conservative Party during the last federal election in 2021.
"Over the last five years, while Canadians have been lining up at foodbanks and experiencing a significant cost-of-living increase, he has not been in Canada," Kurkimaki said.
Seen by detractors as out of touch, Carney, during a recent leadership debate, did not provide an answer when the moderator asked the candidates whether they knew the average cost of a week’s worth of groceries.
In an appearance on "The Rest is Politics" podcast last month featuring Alastair Campbell, former British prime minister Tony Blair’s press secretary, and past Goldman Sachs executive Anthony Scaramucci, Carney said that his "weakness is people will charge me as being elitist or globalist."
MARK CARNEY WINS LIBERAL PARTY NOMINATION TO REPLACE TRUDEAU AS CANADA'S NEXT PM
"Well, that happens to be exactly what we need," he said, adding that he’s also "a pragmatist" and "a leader in crisis."
When Scaramucci asked Carney how he would respond to attacks that he is "out of touch with the mainstream, common citizen in Canada," the new prime minister said that most of his life in Canada "has been in service of Canadians."
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also targeted Carney, who played hockey at Harvard and Oxford, after he was photographed playing goalie reportedly wearing high-end sneakers.
"Trying to be a normal guy playing hockey in $2000 shoes," Poilievre posted on X.
Kurkimaki said the upcoming federal election campaign with Carney at the Liberal helm could be a replay of the one in 2011 when another "out-of-touch" Liberal leader – historian Michael Ignatieff, who came from the world of academia – lost his House seat, and his party recorded its worst-ever result in a general election that the Conservatives won.
Canada’s new prime minister earned a bachelor’s degree in economics at Harvard University and went on to receive master’s and doctoral degrees in economics at the University of Oxford.
Carney, who lived in the tony Ottawa neighborhood of Rockcliffe Park before becoming prime minister, also holds British and Irish citizenship. Earlier this month, he said that he had begun the process of renouncing both.
Along the way, the man whose looks were once compared to those of actor George Clooney made a fortune at England’s central bank alone. Carney earned $1.3 million, including pay, allowances and housing costs – the highest for the head of any federal reserve at the time.
However, his current net worth might not be revealed any time soon. Before becoming prime minister, Carney divested his assets, "other than his personal real estate, into a blind trust," a member of his team told CBC News. Under Canadian law, public-office holders need to divest their assets, such as stock options, either by selling them or having a trustee manage or sell them without, in this case, consulting Carney.
Carney's spokesperson did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Hamas says American-Israeli hostage will only be freed if ceasefire is implemented
The Hamas terrorist group said Saturday that it will only release Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander if Israel implements the existing ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
Alexander, 21, is the last living American hostage in captivity in the Gaza Strip.
A senior Hamas official told the Associated Press that long-delayed talks over the ceasefire’s second phase would need to begin the day of the release and last no longer than 50 days. Israel would also need to stop barring the entry of humanitarian aid and withdraw from a strategic corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt.
Hamas called it an "exceptional deal" aimed at getting the truce back on track, per the official, who spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.
AFTER TRUMP THREAT, HAMAS REFUSES TO RELEASE MORE HOSTAGES WITHOUT PHASE 2 CEASEFIRE DEAL
Hamas is also demanding the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages, the official said.
Hamas on Friday agreed to release Alexander along with the bodies of four other hostages following a deal offered by mediators. He has now been held captive for 526 days as of Saturday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said.
It comes as talks are ongoing in Qatar to establish the next phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, the first phase of which ended on March 1.
The office of Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, and the National Security Council said in a joint statement that "President Trump has made it clear that Hamas will either release hostages immediately, or pay a severe price."
Witkoff and Eric Trager, National Security Council senior director for the Middle East and North Africa, presented a ‘bridge’ proposal to extend the ceasefire beyond Ramadan and Passover and allow time to negotiate a framework for a permanent ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to convene his ministerial team on Saturday to receive a detailed report from negotiators and decide on the next steps for the release of the hostages.
Meanwhile, a number of rallies are expected to take place throughout Israel on Saturday to demand that all remaining 59 hostages are released, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said. The main rallies will take place in Tel Aviv, Sha'ar HaNegev Junction, Carmei Gat and Jerusalem.
Though he spent most of his life in New Jersey, Alexander was born in Israel a few months before his parents moved to the U.S., according to the American Jewish Committee (AJC).
After graduating from high school, Alexander decided he would enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rather than enroll in college.
On Oct. 7, Alexander, who was serving in the IDF’s Golani Brigade, an infantry unit, was patrolling near Gaza when Hamas’ attacks on Israel began. The attacks ended with 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 hostages taken, including Alexander.
Yael Alexander, Edan’s mother, recounted the day he was taken hostage in a recent interview with AJC’s "People of the Pod." Yael was in Israel in early October 2023, visiting her family and hoping to see Edan. On the morning of Oct. 7, she spoke with Edan, who said that he was seeing "terrible stuff," but he assured her that he was safe. Then he was taken hostage.
On Nov. 30, 2024, more than a year after Alexander was captured, Hamas released a video of Alexander speaking in Hebrew and Arabic. Alexander, like other hostages forced to make propaganda videos, delivered messages about Netanyahu and then-President-elect Donald Trump.
Fox News' Yael Rotem-Kuriel, Trey Yingst, Rachel Wolf and Stephen Sorace, as well as The Associated Press, contributed to this report.
Senior Islamic State leader killed in Iraq, Trump says his 'miserable life was terminated'
The leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been killed, Iraq's prime minister announced on Friday.
Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, or "Abu Khadija," was killed in an operation by members of the Iraqi national intelligence service along with U.S.-led coalition forces, Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in a statement.
The prime minister described al-Rifai as "one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world."
U.S. President Donald Trump reacted to the news on his social media platform Truth Social, saying al-Rifai's "miserable life was terminated."
FORMER IRAQI REFUGEE LIVING IN TEXAS PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRING TO SUPPORT ISIS
"Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed," Trump wrote Friday night. "He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters. His miserable life was terminated, along with another member of ISIS, in coordination with the Iraqi Government and the Kurdish Regional Government."
"PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!" the president added.
U.S. Central Command said in a statement that its forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and security forces, conducted an airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the "Global ISIS #2 leader, Chief of Global Operations and the Delegated Committee Emir – Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, alias 'Abu Khadijah,' and one other ISIS operative."
"As the Emir of ISIS’ most senior decision-making body, Abu Khadijah maintained responsibility for operations, logistics, and planning conducted by ISIS globally, and directs a significant portion of finance for the group’s global organization," CENTCOM said.
After the strike, U.S. and Iraqi forces moved to the location of the strike and found both dead ISIS targets who were each wearing unexploded "suicide vests" and who had multiple weapons, CENTCOM said.
U.S. and Iraqi forces were able to identify al-Rifai using DNA collected in a previous raid where he narrowly escaped.
"Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization. We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond," Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander at CENTCOM, said in a statement.
Israel faces new Syria challenge as it adjusts to new strategy amid regional power struggle for influence
TEL AVIV — The Israeli Air Force on Thursday struck the headquarters of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Damascus, Syria, amid ongoing instability in the country following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by an al Qaeda-linked insurgency.
After the fall of Damascus on Dec. 8, 2024, Israel deployed troops to the demilitarized buffer zone with Syria while also launching a diplomatic offensive to shape the balance of power.
"The deployment of Israeli forces is concentrated around the Syrian [side of Mount] Hermon, the high grounds in that area and below that on the northern part of the Syrian Golan Heights — more or less along, but not beyond, the Bravo Line [marking the end of the buffer zone]," Lt. Col. (ret.) Jonathan Conricus, a former IDF spokesman and now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.
EVANGELICAL LEADER SAYS US MUST PROTECT SYRIAN CHRISTIANS FROM ATTACKS BY JIHADI TERRORISTS
He continued, "The primary threat is a ground invasion towards Israeli communities on the Golan Heights by various jihadi elements. Until the political and military situation stabilizes and Israel can have security guarantees that there is indeed a sovereign entity in control of Syria, which will limit the approach by various terror organizations, Israeli troops will be deployed."
While many global players may be willing to turn a blind eye to the carnage in Syria in hopes of resolving the nearly 15-year crisis, analysts say Israel has no such illusions, prompting the IDF to conduct over 300 strikes in the country, including against Assad regime air force bases and suspected chemical weapons sites, in the immediate aftermath of the regime change.
On Sunday, Israel seemingly upped the ante when the new IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, held a situational assessment in the buffer zone with Syria. Zamir was the first chief of staff to have entered Syria.
"Immediately upon the fall of the regime, [Israel] devastated Syrian military capabilities to make sure some advanced capabilities and air defense [systems] would not fall into the hands of this regime and would be cleared in case Israel has any future desire to overfly [in] Syria," said John Hannah, a Senior Fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA).
"They've [also] set up checkpoints in certain Druze areas right on the border [and] declared their willingness to protect the Druze. Israel has a significant Druze minority of its own who are loyal and good citizens of Israel who fight in its army. So, Israel has a deep domestic concern and interest with making sure that Druze communities near its borders [in Syria] are not subject to the kinds of threats and slaughter that we saw over the weekend along the [Syrian] coast," he added.
Some 1,000 Alawites, a minority sect of Shiite Islam, as well as a number of Christians were murdered over the course of a few days last week in the coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia. The killings have laid bare concerns over the new Sunni Islamist government led by al-Sharaa, commander of the al Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that deposed Assad.
Conricus said that the massacres have validated Israel’s strategy, emphasizing that the persecution of the Alawites, Christians, Kurds and Druze population constitutes a danger to regional stability.
"There is a lot of sectarian violence by various foreign jihadi groups, which is a threat. Until only the Syrian state controls the weapons, Israel cannot jeopardize the life of Israeli civilians," he said.
"We know Hezbollah and Iranian factions continue to try to smuggle weapons into Syria, with Tehran still trying to operate proxies. This is compounded by Turkish imperialistic behavior, which can lead to confrontation," he added. "I think trying to keep the borders defined by the French at the end of World War I will be a challenge for the Syrian state."
BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION SEEKS TO REIN IN ERDOGAN'S TURKEY OVER TIES TO US FOES
Jonathan Spyer, director of research at the Middle East Forum who has reported from Syria, told Fox News Digital that Jerusalem’s aim is for Syria to remain decentralized and weak, rather than united under the leadership of jihadi forces.
"Turkey is the main backer of HTS, and Israel regards Ankara as a hostile country where Hamas had an active operations office. Turkey has been supportive of Hamas in the war," he said.
"While Russia is opposed to the global bloc led by the U.S., of which Israel is a part, there is no direct clash between the two nations. Russia did not seek to impede Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran in Syria."
Israel is reportedly pressuring the Trump administration to ensure Syria remains fragmented, by giving the Russians a green light to maintain its bases in the country to counter Turkey.
In 2015, Russia intervened in Syria on behalf of the Assad regime, setting up outposts in the Middle East for the first time since the end of the Cold War. Jerusalem and Moscow have created a deconfliction mechanism to avoid direct military encounters when the IDF strikes Iranian terror assets in Syria, along with those destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"HTS is an organization that Israel knows well. It was there for several years prior to fall of Assad and its record shows it is a Sunni Jihadi Islamist organization supportive of [Hamas’] Oct. 7 [massacre] and opposed to Israel and Jews," Spyer said.
"Israel’s experience prior to Oct. 7, on Oct. 7, and in the Gaza war taught Israelis not to have illusions regarding Sunni Islamists even when they say they are moderate," he added.
Zelenskyy accuses Putin of trying to stall ceasefire talks, pushes Trump for tougher sanctions
As Russian and U.S. officials prepared to speak about the 30-day ceasefire proposal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of looking to prolong the war.
"Putin is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war and keep killing Ukrainians," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. "That’s why, in Moscow, they are surrounding the ceasefire idea with such preconditions that it either fails or gets dragged out for as long as possible."
TRUMP 'HOPES' PUTIN AGREES TO CEASEFIRE AS MOSCOW SIGNALS NO TRUCE YET
After Ukraine agreed to the U.S. ceasefire proposal earlier this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio put the onus on Russia and told reporters that the "ball is now in [Russia’s] court."
"As we have always said, the only one stalling, the only one being unconstructive, is Russia. They need this war. Putin has stolen years of peace and continues this war day after day," Zelenskyy added.
Now, Zelenskyy says tougher sanctions are necessary to push Putin towards making a deal and ending the bloody three-year war. While President Donald Trump told reporters he wanted peace, not sanctions, he acknowledged that the U.S. could make financial moves that are "very bad for Russia."
"In a financial sense, yeah, we could do things, very bad for Russia. It would be devastating for Russia," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday while meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. "But I don’t want to do that because I want to see peace."
PUTIN THANKS TRUMP FOR PRINCIPLES OF CEASEFIRE PUSH, BUT DOES NOT SAY YES
On Thursday, Putin said he agreed with the U.S. plan for a 30-day ceasefire in "principle," but signaled that Russia would not be signing onto the agreement in its current form. Ukraine agreed to the plan following talks with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia, as long as Russia commits to the plan.
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Trump said on Thursday that if Russia does not come to the table and agree to the ceasefire, "it’ll be a very disappointing moment for the world." The president vowed throughout his campaign to end the Russia-Ukraine war, saying that if he had remained in office in 2020 the war, which began with Russia’s 2021 invasion of Ukraine, would not have started.
Hamas agrees to release Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage
Hamas agreed Friday to release Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage in captivity in the Gaza Strip.
Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American, will be released along with the bodies of four other hostages, according to a deal offered by mediators.
Though he spent most of his life in New Jersey, Alexander was born in Israel a few months before his parents moved to the U.S., according to the American Jewish Committee (AJC).
After graduating from high school, Alexander decided he would enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rather than enroll in college.
On Oct. 7, Alexander, who was serving in the IDF’s Golani Brigade, an infantry unit, was patrolling near Gaza when Hamas’ attacks on Israel began. The attacks ended with 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 hostages taken, including Alexander.
Yael Alexander, Edan’s mother, recounted the day he was taken hostage in a recent interview with AJC’s "People of the Pod." Yael was in Israel in early October 2023, visiting her family and hoping to see Edan. On the morning of Oct. 7, she spoke with Edan, who said that he was seeing "terrible stuff," but he assured her that he was safe. Then he was taken hostage.
On Nov. 30, 2024, more than a year after Alexander was captured, Hamas released a video of Alexander speaking in Hebrew and Arabic. Alexander, like other hostages forced to make propaganda videos, delivered messages about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-President-elect Donald Trump.
A few days after the video’s release, Adi Alexander, Edan’s father, spoke with "Fox & Friends First," calling the film "very emotional" and "disturbing." He said it was the first time they had seen a sign of life from their son since he was taken hostage.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Fox News' Yael Rotem-Kuriel and Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Trump downplays China-Russia-Iran nuclear talks, says they may discuss 'de-escalation'
President Donald Trump, speaking from the Oval Office Thursday, downplayed an upcoming nuclear summit in Beijing between Iran, Russia, and China, three chief adversaries of the U.S.
The discussions, first confirmed by the Chinese foreign ministry Thursday and which come just days after Iran rebuffed Trump’s push to engage in nuclear negotiations, will coincide with a United Nations Security Council meeting regarding Tehran’s expansion of near-weapons-grade uranium.
Trump suggested perhaps Beijing, Moscow and Tehran will be having their own discussions on "de-escalation."
"Well, maybe they're going to talk about non-nuclear problems. Maybe they're going to be talking about the de-escalation of nuclear weapons," Trump told reporters.
TRUMP 'HOPES' PUTIN AGREES TO CEASEFIRE AS MOSCOW SIGNALS NO TRUCE YET
Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin once engaged in "strong" talks about nuclear weapons and said he believes, had he won the 2016 election, further Russian denuclearization would have been on the table.
"I think I would have made a deal with Putin on de-escalation, denuclearization," Trump said. "But we would have de-escalated nuclear weapons because the power of nuclear weapons is so great and so devastating."
The president also claimed that China would "catch us in five years" because of its rapid development of its nuclear stockpiles, though this would be far sooner than other experts have warned.
The Pentagon in 2024 assessed that China is believed to have 600 nuclear weapons, up from the low 200s in 2020. But, in a report Wednesday, experts with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said claims that China will be a "peer" or "near peer" with the U.S. in the near future were a "gross exaggeration."
POLAND CALLS ON US TO PLACE NUKES WITHIN ITS BORDERS AMID RUSSIA THREAT
"There is no evidence that China’s ongoing nuclear expansion will result in parity with the U.S. arsenal," the report said. "Even the worst-case 2023 projection of 1,500 warheads by 2035 amounts to less than half of the current U.S. nuclear stockpile."
Russia is believed to have 5,580 nuclear weapons, and the U.S. is reported to have 5,225, while China comes in at a distant third, according to the Arms Control Association.
Concerns over North Korea’s largely unchecked nuclear program have also continued to mount in recent years, particularly after Pyongyang formed closer ties with Moscow after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
"It would be a great achievement if we could bring down the number," Trump said.
"You don’t need them to that extent," he added, noting the immense destruction even one nuclear weapon could inflict.
North Korea is estimated to have 50 nuclear weapons, which Trump noted is "a lot."
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But he also pointed to the positive relationship he had with Kim Jong Un during his first presidency and suggested that relationship could extend during his second term. Trump appeared to suggest there could be room for nuclear negotiations.
"I have a great relationship with Kim Jong Un, and we’ll see what happens," Trump told reporters. "But certainly he’s a nuclear power."
UN official denies seeing 'a shred of evidence' showing staff in Gaza held hostages
The United Nations' top humanitarian aid official told Fox News Digital he has "not seen a shred of evidence" of the U.N.’s involvement, either through the use of its facilities or its staff, in the holding of hostages in Gaza.
When asked about former Hamas hostages’ claims that they were held in U.N. facilities or by U.N. staff, Tom Fletcher, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), denied seeing any evidence of the claims.
"I have not seen a shred of evidence so far, and I have asked for it, that suggests that U.N. – that there was any U.N. acquiescence in there or involvement in using U.N. buildings or U.N. staff being involved in holding those hostages," Fletcher said during a news conference.
NETANYAHU SLAMS 'TERRORIST-SUPPORTING' UN COUNCIL THAT ACCUSED ISRAEL OF COMMITTING SEXUAL CRIMES
He also said that "if we get evidence of a U.N. worker involved in an act of terrorism or hostage-taking, yes of course we’re going to investigate." Fletcher offered to lead the investigation himself.
Emily Damari, a former Hamas hostage who was released in the most recent ceasefire deal, alleged she was held at a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) facility while in captivity. Damari, who holds British and Israeli citizenships, told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that she was denied proper medical care while being held at an UNRWA school.
Fletcher said the facility was "a shelter that had been used by the U.N. before we were bombed out of it by the Israelis." He acknowledged that Hamas may have then used the facility, but said it was when the U.N. was not "there to stop them from doing that."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon called on the U.N. to investigate "these very serious claims."
"We believe the testimonies of the Israeli hostages who went through hell in Hamas captivity. Rather than dedicating ample resources and efforts to demonizing Israel, the U.N. should be thoroughly investigating these very serious claims about U.N. complicity in depraved Hamas terrorism," Danon said in the statement.
Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and president of Human Rights Voices, slammed the U.N. over its "singular pattern of behavior when confronted with the truth about UNRWA and the involvement of U.N. actors in terrorism against Jews: deny, deflect and carry on."
"Israel has presented mountains of evidence of UNRWA's participation in the Oct. 7 atrocities, and its ongoing attempts to save Hamas – which the U.N. denies is a terrorist organization," Bayefsky added. "The ‘see no evil, hear no evil response’ – again – in the face of this gut-wrenching information from a hostage is quite simply, despicable."
Bayefsky said that "as far as the U.N. misinformation machine is concerned, the evidence is never enough."
While Fletcher says he has not seen "a shred of evidence," the U.N. Office of Oversight Services (OIOS), which reviewed Israel’s claims, said, "UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the 7 October attacks."
The OIOS examined evidence of U.N. workers’ involvement in the attacks and found there was "insufficient" evidence of nine workers taking part in the massacre. However, it did not completely discount the possibility. In fact, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini issued a statement on the probe and determined that the employees in question "cannot work for UNRWA."
Fox News reached out to a representative for Damari's family, but did not receive a response to what Fletcher said.
Trump 'hopes' Putin agrees to ceasefire as Moscow signals no truce yet
President Donald Trump on Thursday said he is holding out "hope" that Russia will agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine as the first step to ending the brutal three-year-long war.
"We know where we are with Ukraine," he told reporters while speaking from the Oval Office alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
"Hopefully they’ll do the right thing," he added in reference to Russia.
PUTIN THANKS TRUMP FOR PRINCIPLES OF CEASEFIRE PUSH, BUT DOES NOT SAY YES
Trump’s comments came just moments after Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an address in Moscow in which he thanked Trump for his ceasefire efforts, noting he agreed with them in "principle" but signaled he was not agreeing to the 30-day proposal as it stands now.
Trump said he was aware of Putin’s comments at the time of the Oval Office press conference and classified the Russian leader's comments as "promising" but "incomplete."
"He put out a very promising statement, but it wasn't complete," Trump said. "I'd love to meet with him or talk to him, but we have to get it over with fast."
The president noted that Russian officials have flagged grievances relating to debates over the Zaporizhzhia power plant and Ukrainians’ admittance into NATO, which Putin also touched on during his address in Moscow.
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"A lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed," Trump told reporters moments after Putin’s remarks. "Now we're going to see whether or not Russia is there.
"If they're not, it'll be a very disappointing moment for the world," he added.
Check back on this developing story.
Putin thanks Trump for principles of ceasefire push, but does not say yes
In an address full of nuance, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday thanked President Donald Trump for his efforts to end the hostilities in Ukraine, but said he wanted lasting peace over a 30-day ceasefire.
"The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it," Putin said in a carefully worded message during a news conference in Moscow. "But there are issues that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to discuss it with our American colleagues and partners."
"We agree with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from the assumption that the ceasefire should lead to lasting peace and remove the root causes of the crisis," Putin added.
RUSSIAN BORDER STATES EYE EXIT OF LANDMINE TREATY TO FORTIFY DEFENSES AND DETER PUTIN
Putin was careful not to directly say no to the 30-day ceasefire deal Ukraine agreed with earlier this week, but he also suggested there were too many variables to be discussed, like what happens to the Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk region, which he said will be fully surrounded in the coming days.
The Kremlin chief also claimed a ceasefire would only benefit Ukraine as it would allow Kyiv to mobilize and rearm.
"In these conditions, I believe it would be good for the Ukrainian side to secure a ceasefire for at least 30 days," Putin said.
The Russian president's comments echoed ones issued by his top aide earlier in the day when Yuri Ushakov told a Russian reporter, "Our position about this is that it’s nothing other than a temporary breathing space for Ukrainian forces and nothing else."
"We believe that our goal is a long-term peaceful normalization – we are striving for this," he added. "Our concerns are known. No one needs steps that imitate peaceful actions in this situation."
Ushakov, who met with national security advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month in Saudi Arabia, said ultimately Putin would address Moscow’s position on the ceasefire during a press conference later on Thursday.
The comments came after Ushakov said he spoke with Waltz and as special envoy Steve Witkoff landed in Moscow to further discuss the agreement.
Reports on Thursday suggested Russia has put forward its own wishlist items to achieve an end to the fighting, but those demands remain unconfirmed. Previous demands included barring Ukraine from joining NATO and control over the five Ukrainian regions it has illegally seized – only one of which Russia fully occupies.
Ukraine on Tuesday agreed to the 30-day ceasefire following an hours-long meeting with Waltz and Rubio in Saudi Arabia, contingent on the Kremlin’s acceptance of the terms.
The ceasefire was an attempt to get both sides to lay down their arms so that further negotiations on issues like territory, occupation status, the return of prisoners and the return of abducted Ukrainian children could then be hashed out.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's questions.
RUSSIA PRESENTS US WITH DEMANDS THAT NEED TO BE MET BEFORE ENDING UKRAINE WAR: REPORT
Russia ramped up its barrage of missile and drone attacks after the U.S. paused military aid and intelligence sharing after Trump suggested he didn’t believe Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was "serious" about peace.
The comments came following an Oval Office blow-up when Zelenskyy refused to sign a mineral deal without security guarantees from the U.S.
Vice President JD Vance accused the Ukrainian president of being "disrespectful."
But following the successful talks with Ukraine in Jeddah this week, the U.S. immediately lifted its aid and intelligence pause.
"Ukraine is committed to moving quickly toward peace, and we are prepared to do our part in creating all of the conditions for a reliable, durable, and decent peace," Zelenskyy said in a post on X Thursday. "I thank our teams for the fact that military aid and intelligence sharing resumed.
"Ukraine was ready for an air and sea ceasefire, but the U.S. proposed extending it to land. Ukraine welcomes this proposal," he added.
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Zelenskyy said Putin’s thus far silence on the ceasefire proposal "once again demonstrates that Russia seeks to prolong the war and postpone peace for as long as possible."
"We hope that U.S. pressure will be sufficient to compel Russia to end the war," he added.
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