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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was warmly greeted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer outside 10 Downing St. in London on Saturday, a day after Zelenskyy's tense exchange with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. 

Zelemskyy and Starmer, who met with Trump in Washington on Thursday, embraced, shook hands, waved and gave a thumbs up to reporters before heading inside the prime minister’s residence for their meeting. 

The scheduled London visit comes after Zelenskyy’s blowup with Trump and Vice President JD Vance during Friday's televised meeting in the Oval Office. 

Zelenskyy was peppered with questions from shouting reporters about Trump outside the prime minister’s residence, but remained tight-lipped. 

ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP ‘BAD FOR BOTH SIDES’

Starmer told Zelenskyy when he greeted him: "Well, let me just say that you're very, very welcome here in Downing Street. And as you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom, and we stand with you with Ukraine for as long as it may take."

He added, "And I hope you've heard some of that cheering in the street. That is the people of the United Kingdom coming out to demonstrate how much they support you, how much they support Ukraine, and our absolute determination to stand with unwavering determination and to achieve what we both want to achieve, which is a lasting peace, a lasting peace for Ukraine based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine, so important for Ukraine, so important for Europe, and so for the United Kingdom. So I'm much looking forward to discussions here this afternoon. Thank you very much for taking the time to chat." 

Zelenskyy answered: "With pleasure. Thank you very much."

He added that the British people have given Ukraine "big support from the very beginning of this war." 

Zelenskyy said that he is also "very happy" to be meeting with King Charles III at his residence in Sandringham on Sunday. 

TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE

Tensions increased during the Oval Office meeting on Friday over a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine after Zelenskyy said Russian President Vladimir Putin couldn't be trusted and had breached other agreements.

Trump and Vance then accused Zelenskyy of not being grateful for the support the U.S. has provided over the years and said the Ukrainian leader was in a "bad position" at the negotiating table. 

"You're playing cards," Trump said. "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III. You're gambling with World War III. And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country."

After Vance told Zelenskyy Ukraine had manpower and military recruiting problems, Zelenskyy said war means "everybody has problems, even you," adding the U.S. would feel the war "in the future."

"Don't tell us what we're going to feel," Trump responded. "We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel."

Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House after the exchange, a scheduled news conference was canceled and a deal for Ukraine to give the U.S. its rare earth minerals was left unsigned. 

Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for America’s help after the meeting.

"Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit," he wrote on X. "Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that." 

The Ukrainian president told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier in an interview after the meeting on "Special Report" that he believes Ukrainian-U.S. ties can be salvaged.

"Yes, of course, because it's relations more than two presidents," he said in the exclusive interview. "It's the historical relations, strong relations between our people. And that's why I always began … to thank your people from our people.

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"Of course, thankful to the president and, of course, to Congress," Zelenskyy added, "But, first of all, to your people … we wanted very much to have all this strong relations and where it counted. We will have it."

Zelenskyy said he was "not sure we did something bad" when asked about the heated exchange but conceded the dustup was "bad for both sides."

Fox News' Madeline Coggins contributed to this report. 

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan: As China continues and intensifies its campaign of aggression against the island, Taiwan’s military is struggling to reach recruitment goals for professional personnel, and the challenges to reversing this situation are formidable. 

Between 2022 and 2024, some 12,000 service people left Taiwan’s military. Officials in both the government and the military are voicing concern, and once again, there is talk of enlisting foreign migrants into the armed forces, an idea that has been under extremely informal "discussions" for over two decades. 

The simplest reason for the drop-off is math. This self-ruled democracy has the second-lowest birthrate in Asia, following South Korea. Military pay could be better but is generally considered competitive. Low morale is often over-hyped but is a factor, as is strong competition from the private sector. 

TAIWAN DISPATCHES NAVY, AIR FORCE AFTER CHINA LAUNCHES LIVE-FIRE DRILLS WITH NO WARNING

"They’ve been talking about ‘migrant troops’ for close to a quarter of a century! But not even a single official panel or committee has come close to examining the idea," Dr. Chang Ching, a senior research fellow with the R.O.C. Society for Strategic Studies who served in the Navy for several decades, told Fox News Digital. 

"I’ll unreservedly confess the truth as I see it: most Taiwanese aren’t willing to make the sacrifices required for victory in war. Migrant workers serving as essentially mercenaries would only highlight how few of our citizens are willing to fight – even to simply maintain the status quo of de facto independence," Chang said.  

Taiwan needs a strong military to deter its hostile neighbor located roughly 100 miles to the west. In recent years, China has stepped up both bombastic threats and incursions into Taiwan’s air and sea defense zones as it attempts to squeeze Taiwan into submission. 

American Christopher Clifford is better known in Taiwan as YouTuber "Uncle Topher." His resume is a big reason why around 112,000 Taiwanese frequently watch his videos on geopolitics. Over 20 years ago, "Uncle Topher" was Captain Christopher Clifford, U.S. 101 Airborne Division. Serving during the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq gave him an up-close look at the difficulties of invasion, and the even harder challenges of occupation. 

Speaking to Fox News Digital in Kaohsiung City, Clifford said that much of his content is aimed at challenging "China invasion sensationalism." He often points out to viewers that, as a result of China’s now-reversed "One-Child Policy," Chinese men of fighting age are commonly highly valued "only sons," men who have a traditional duty to carry on family linages. More importantly, says Clifford, is the economic toll a war would have on not just the region, but the planet – a conflict Clifford believes China may literally not be able to afford.    

TRUMP CABINET PICKS DELIGHT TAIWAN, SEND STRONG SIGNAL TO CHINA

He said that falling troop numbers are a problem but pointed out that most modern militaries – including China’s – are facing enlistment and retention difficulties. "Taiwan’s military is making some much-needed changes – allowing tattoos and modifying insane height restrictions," he said. "You couldn’t join before if you were over 6"6’." 

However, Clifford sees a future where wars are waged with drones and keyboards. "Cyberattacks and misinformation are, I’d argue, bigger threats than a PRC version of Normandy. People compare Taiwan to Ukraine. But Taiwan is in almost no way comparable to Ukraine or any other conflict area on Earth." 

Much debate is about whether the United States would intervene should China attempt an invasion or blockade. "Of course, I understand the logic behind the U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity, but I fear far too many Taiwanese people – especially younger people – are counting on a rescue from Uncle Sam," Chang explained.

He is not optimistic about refilling the ranks, explaining that pension cuts of between 15-20% for retired Taiwan military personnel in 2018 "alienated a critical pillar of the ROC Armed Forces – families in Taiwan that had a ‘tradition of service.’" Speaking during an interview near the navy’s headquarters in Kaohsiung, Chang said, "Taiwanese born in the 1990s, for example, don’t give much thought to what province of China an ancestor came from, but they will listen when grandpa says, ‘Don’t sign up! They’ll break their promise to care for you, just like they did to me.’"

Taiwan’s government in 2018 said without the cuts, the entire pension program would go bankrupt, and many Taiwanese agreed with the decision to slash what they saw as disproportionately high military pensions. Those who opposed the cuts, however, saw it as a betrayal. 

TAIWAN FM HAILS IMPORTANCE OF US RELATIONSHIP, SAYS GROUP VISITS 'CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE AND STABILITY'

From the 1950s through the early 2000s, men in Taiwan served at least two years as conscripts. However, as Taiwan graduated into a full democracy, both of Taiwan’s main political parties worked to reduce (and eventually eliminate) mandatory military service. By 2013, conscription was a condensed four-month "boot camp."

In 2022, then-President Tsai Ing-wen announced a return to the one-year service requirement in place before 2013. While some were unhappy, there were no major protests or efforts to reverse the decision that took effect in January 2024. That same month, Taiwanese voters elected then-Vice President William Lai to succeed the term-limited Tsai. Lai is openly despised by Beijing and relations with China have only deteriorated since his election win.

More than 800,000 migrant workers (mostly from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines) reside on the island, according to government stats. Once again, the idea has reemerged that some of them could be the solution to refilling the ranks. 

Clifford believes that, while no easy task, there are ways of making it work, perhaps in exchange for the equivalent of an American Green Card. "They could start with a foreign legion of mechanics, engineers, cooks, etc. In peacetime, they would assist with construction projects and disaster relief. In wartime, they could be responsible for setting up other defenses. No rifle required."  

The U.S. is Taiwan’s strongest ally and its major supplier of arms. President Lai says he hopes to convince parliament to significantly increase defense spending. Taiwan is waiting for already purchased U.S. arms valued at almost $22 billion, according to the Cato Institute. Not having enough trained people able to use these weapons, however, could be a more serious issue than the large backlog. 

Pope Francis' condition remains stable, and he is alternating between mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy, the Vatican said on Saturday. The 88-year-old pontiff apparently does not have a fever and has not experienced another bronchospasm.

Vatican sources say the pope's is in a "complex," but "stable" situation as he enters his third week in Rome's Gemelli Hospital. His white blood cell count is apparently "so low" that infections are likely under control, the sources added.

POPE FRANCIS’ MEDICAL CONDITION: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BILATERAL PNEUMONIA

The pope is apparently in a good mood and is able to move, eat and walk. However, according to Vatican sources, his doctors are advising him to stay cautious. He opted to rest on Saturday instead of doing work with his secretaries, Vatican sources say.

Pope Francis was originally hospitalized on Feb. 14 for what was believed to be a bout of bronchitis. He was later diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, meaning it is in both of his lungs.

The 88-year-old pontiff has a history of respiratory issues, and had part of his lung removed when he was just 21 years old.

VP VANCE SHARES SPECIAL MESSAGE TO AILING POPE FRANCIS AMID BREATHING CRISIS

Catholics across the globe have been praying for the pope's health, with many gathering around the hospital where he is receiving treatment.

On Friday, while speaking at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, Vice President JD Vance spoke about the pope's health struggles and said he had been praying daily since he first heard that Pope Francis was hospitalized.

The vice president acknowledged that the pope and the Trump administration had butted heads, but he emphasized the importance of praying for Pope Francis and led the crowd in prayer.

"I believe that the pope is fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians under his leadership, and he's a man who cares about the spiritual direction of the faith," Vance said. "Every day me and my children have said a prayer for the Holy Father, and we pray for his health, and we pray for his comfort as he deals with what appears to be a pretty serious health crisis."

"If the Holy Father can hear us, I hope he knows that there are thousands of faithful Catholics in this room and millions of faithful Catholics in this country who are praying for him as he weathers his particular storm," the vice president concluded.

Russia is loving the Oval Office spectacle that took place yesterday with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. However, there is one prominent Russian voice that has not been heard yet, that of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, at the time of this writing, has yet to comment on the situation.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is a staunch defender of Putin, was delighted by what he called the "proper slap down" that Zelenskyy received at the hands of Trump and Vance. In the same post on X, Medvedev wrote that Trump was right about Ukraine "gambling with WWIII."

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said it was a "miracle" Trump and Vance stopped themselves from hitting Zelenskyy during the intense exchange.

UKRAINE AMBASSADOR'S REACTION TO FIERY TRUMP-ZELENSKYY OVAL OFFICE CLASH GOES VIRAL

It’s not just Russian leaders celebrating; members of the government-run media are also reveling in the fracas.

"The Russian media, which is almost exclusively controlled by Putin’s government, is having a field day with what happened today between Zelenskyy and President Trump and JD Vance," Rebekah Koffler, a strategic military intelligence analyst, former senior official at the Defense Intelligence Agency and author of "Putin’s Playbook," told Fox News Digital.

"Rossiyskaya Gazeta," the Russian National Gazette, tore into Zelenskyy, with many headlines gloating about the leader’s spat with Trump and Vance, as well as his leaving the White House early, according to Koffler, who translated the headlines for Fox News Digital.

Additionally, Russian state TV commentator Vladimir Solovyov reportedly announced a special show focusing on "Zelenskyy’s suicide in the White House," according to Reuters.

WORLD LEADERS BACK ZELENSKYY FOLLOWING TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE SPAT

After the tense Oval Office meeting, leaders from across the globe came out condemning Trump and Vance’s actions and showing their support for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently met with Trump in DC, expressed support for Ukraine in a post on X.

"There is an aggressor: Russia. There is a victim: Ukraine. We were right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago—and to keep doing so," Macron wrote. "By ‘we,’ I mean the Americans, the Europeans, the Canadians, the Japanese, and many others."

While U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer has yet to comment publicly, the leader of the U.K. Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, spoke out in support of Ukraine, writing, "We need to remember that the villain is the war criminal President Putin who illegally invaded another sovereign country - Ukraine."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, an ardent Trump critic, wrote, "Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine and Ukrainians in achieving a just and lasting peace."

Tensions between Washington and Kyiv were clear before any words were exchanged in the Oval Office. On Feb. 19, President Trump called President Zelenskyy "a dictator without elections" in a post on Truth Social. However, when he was asked about his comment during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump appeared to back down saying, "Did I say that?"

The Trump administration’s approach to Kyiv wildly deviates from that of the Biden administration. Biden made his pro-Ukraine stance clear after the February 2022 invasion, despite suggesting in January 2022 that a "minor incursion" would result in lighter consequences. Trump, on the other hand, told the media minutes before the exchange that he would not take either Russia or Ukraine’s side. Rather, he was "not aligned with anybody. I'm aligned with the United States of America and for the good of the world."

In an exclusive interview with Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier, Zelenskyy did not apologize for the heated exchange, but he acknowledged that it was "bad for both sides."

"I just want to be honest, and I just want our partners to understand the situation correctly, and I want to understand everything correctly. That's about us not to lose our friendship," Zelenskyy said on "Special Report."

Questions surrounding the resignation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sparked on Friday after Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, suggested he may need to step down after a spat erupted between him and President Donald Trump during live coverage.

But that wasn’t the first time the Republican Party has  suggested such a move, and it began earlier this month after Trump pushed the idea following a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Trump first said Ukraine should hold elections after falsely claiming he only enjoyed a 4% approval rating, though under Ukraine’s constitution the country cannot hold elections when Martial Law is in effect during a time of war. 

WORLD LEADERS BACK ZELENSKYY FOLLOWING TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE SPAT

Zelenskyy, whose approval rating is closer to 63% according to a Reuters report, on Friday once again reiterated he would resign if Kyiv was granted NATO membership. 

Ultimately, he emphasized during an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier, that just like in the U.S. where "Americans vote for American president," just as "each European country vote for their president," the same sovereign right is held in Ukraine – suggesting it is not a negotiating tactic he will allow Trump to use to appeal to Putin. 

But who may be in the running should Zelenskyy ever decide to step down?

The former boxer-turned politician who has served as the mayor of Kyiv since 2014 with strong support among those living in the capital city, has also proven himself on the international stage.

In a trip to Brussels earlier this month, Klitschko stressed the need to stand behind Zelenskyy as he fielded verbal attacks from the Trump administration while also trying to counter Putin’s war. 

The voice of support for the Ukrainian leaders was particularly noticeable given his previous criticism of Zelenskyy.

During his trip last week, Klitschko reportedly emphasized that an election could "destroy the country from within" while it faces existential threats from the north and on its eastern flank.

ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP 'BAD FOR BOTH SIDES'

Stefanchuk, the chairman of Ukraine's Parliament, has also reportedly been floated as a potential future contender for the top role in Ukraine. 

Though Stefanchuk is said to be a top ally of Zelenskyy, he has ardently rejected the recent international suggestions  that Ukraine hold elections.

In a Facebook post earlier this month he argued that "If there is anyone who needs to be forced into real, free and fair elections, it is [Putin]."

He noted that Ukraine needs "bullets, not ballots," according to a report by Newsweek. 

Head of Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency, Budanov, could be another who may be a contender for the top job in Kyiv given.

Budanov, who has not expressed a desire to seek high office according to a Newsweek report, happens to have an even higher trust rating than Zelenskyy among Ukrainians. 

The military intelligence head earlier this month apparently voiced his confidence that Ukraine may finally be able to reach a peace deal after three years of war.

"I think it is going to happen. There are most of the components for it to happen," Budanov reportedly said during a YouTube interview. "How long it will be, how effective it will be – [is] another question."

The former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's armed forces, Zaluzhny, and presently his country's ambassador to the U.K. is seen as a popular and credible successor to Zelenskyy if the president were to step aside. 

Zaluzhny and Zelenskyy have had their differences, resulting in the general being dismissed from his military post in 2024. Carnegie Politika blog recently reported that his popularity is strong, with 80% of Ukranians saying they trust him. The publication also noted that a hypothetical second-round runoff between the two resulted in a statistical tie.

Zaluzhny has not said if he would challenge Zelenskyy or if he was even interested in running for the president. 

Pope Francis, 88, had a peaceful night and is resting after a breathing crisis, the Vatican said on Saturday.

Francis had an isolated breathing crisis on Friday requiring non-invasive, mechanical ventilation, the Vatican said. He had experienced a bronchospasm that led to an episode of vomiting and inhalation. He then began non-invasive ventilation and was responding well.

The pontiff still remains conscious and alert.

POPE SUFFERS BREATHING CRISIS AMID PNEUMONIA BATTLE, VATICAN SAYS

Francis was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 after a week-long bout of bronchitis worsened. Doctors first diagnosed the complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and subsequently the onset of pneumonia in both lungs.

In the chaotic aftermath of an explosive Oval Office press conference Friday with President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his frustration with the administration began after it issued a series of controversial comments in the five weeks after Trump’s inauguration.

"It's not about [being] mad," Zelenskyy told Fox News’ Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier on "Special Report." 

"[When you hear] president, vice president or somebody or senators — doesn't matter, big politicians — when they, for example, say that Ukraine is almost destroyed, that our soldiers run away, that they are not a heroes, that Ukraine lost millions of civilians, that his president is dictator.

ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP 'BAD FOR BOTH SIDES'

"The reaction is that, where is our friendship between Ukraine and United States?"

Zelenskyy said it was important that Ukraine, the U.S. and Europe maintain their great partnership in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression. 

But when asked if he feels he should apologize for the heated discussions that erupted in the Oval Office, which began after Vance accused Zelenskyy of being "disrespectful," the Ukrainian leader said "no."

"I respect the president, and I respect the American people," he said. "I'm not sure that we did something bad."

WORLD LEADERS BACK ZELENSKYY FOLLOWING TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE SPAT

Zelenskyy argued that important issues need to be discussed thoroughly and warned Trump, "Don’t trust Putin."

Zelenskyy noted again that security guarantees, which caused the blowup in the Oval Office Friday, are not an issue he can disregard because the threat of another Russian invasion is too great. 

Zelenskyy also reiterated he would be willing to step down as president so long as Ukraine was given NATO membership. 

"We want just and lasting peace. It's true. We want security guarantees," he said. "If [the] United States will support NATO … I think that is enough for Ukraine."

Trump, after speaking with Putin earlier this month, began pushing the idea that Ukraine should hold elections, claiming Zelenskyy has little support among the Ukrainian public. 

But under Ukraine’s constitution, it cannot hold elections during a time of war.

European leaders came out with sweeping support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the explosive Oval Office meeting in which President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance gave harsh reprimands and accused him of being "disrespectful."

Several leaders took to social media to back Ukraine and to remind Washington that Russian President Vladimir Putin is the Russia-Ukraine conflict's "aggressor," not Zelenskyy. 

TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON 'SPECIAL REPORT,' 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS

The EU’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, had some of the strongest words of rebuke for Trump and said, "We will step up our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the aggressor." 

"Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader," she added.  "It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge."

"There is an aggressor: Russia. There is a victim: Ukraine," said French President Emmanuel Macron, who just met with Trump this week in D.C. "We were right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago – and to keep doing so." 

"By ‘we,’ I mean the Americans, the Europeans, the Canadians, the Japanese, and many others," he added.  

Though UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer, who also met with Trump this week, has remained publicly silent following the geopolitical fallout, the leader of the U.K.’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, showed her support for Ukraine.

"Respectable diplomacy is essential for peace," she said in a post on X. "We need to remember that the villain is the war criminal President Putin who illegally invaded another sovereign country - Ukraine. 

"A divided West only benefits Russia," she continued. "Any peace agreement must be negotiated with Ukraine at the table, and will need security guarantees. We cannot lose sight of the fact that tonight air raid sirens are sounding in Ukraine."

HERE'S THE REAL REASON TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY'S DEAL BLEW UP IN THE OVAL OFFICE

"What we saw from the White House today is serious and disheartening," Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said in a statement according to Reuters. "Ukraine still needs the US's support, and Ukraine's security and future are also important to the US and to Europe. 

"That Trump accuses Zelenskyy of gambling with World War III is deeply unreasonable and a statement I distance myself from," he said. "Norway stands with Ukraine in their struggle for freedom." 

"Dear Zelenskyy, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone," said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on X.

Germany’s new conservative leader, incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has said he seeks "independence" from the U.S., said, "Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, we stand with Ukraine in good and in testing times. We must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war."

Notably, nations that typically stand strong with Trump, like Turkey’s Recep Erdogan and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, did not release a public statement following the day’s events. 

Though Russian officials did voice their support for how the day unfolded.

Former Russian President and current deputy chair of Russia's security council, Dmitry Medvedev, took to X to call Zelenskyy an "insolent pig" and claimed he "finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office." 

"And Donald Trump is right: The Kyiv regime is ‘gambling with WWIII’," he  added. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau threw his weight behind Ukraine as well and said, "Russia illegally and unjustifiably invaded Ukraine. 

"For three years now, Ukrainians have fought with courage and resilience," he added, suggesting NATO allies may back Kyiv over Washington. "Their fight for democracy, freedom, and sovereignty is a fight that matters to us all. Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine and Ukrainians in achieving a just and lasting peace." 

Rose Girone, believed to be the oldest living Holocaust survivor and a strong advocate for sharing survivors' stories, has died. She was 113.

She died Monday in New York, according to the Claims Conference, a New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

MY FATHER SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST. CENSORSHIP DIDN’T STOP THE NAZIS, IT HELPED THEM

"Rose was an example of fortitude but now we are obligated to carry on in her memory," Greg Schneider, Claims Conference executive vice president, said in a statement Thursday. "The lessons of the Holocaust must not die with those who endured the suffering."

Girone was born on January 13, 1912, in Janow, Poland. Her family moved to Hamburg, Germany, when she was 6, she said in a filmed interview in 1996 with the USC Shoah Foundation.

When asked by the interviewer if she had any particular career plans before Hitler, she said: "Hitler came in 1933 and then it was over for everybody."

Girone was one of about 245,000 survivors still living across more than 90 countries, according to a study released by the Claims Conference last year. Their numbers are quickly dwindling, as most are very old and often of frail health, with a median age of 86.

Six million European Jews and people from other minorities were killed by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust.

"This passing reminds us of the urgency of sharing the lessons of the Holocaust while we still have first-hand witnesses with us," Schneider said. "The Holocaust is slipping from memory to history, and its lessons are too important, especially in today’s world, to be forgotten."

Girone married Julius Mannheim in 1937 through an arranged marriage.

She was 9 months pregnant living in Breslau, which is now Wroclaw, Poland, when Nazis arrived to take Mannheim to the Buchenwald concentration camp. Their family had two cars and so she asked her husband to leave his keys.

She said she remembers one Nazi saying: "Take that woman also."

The other Nazi responded: "She’s pregnant, leave her alone."

The next morning her father-in-law was also taken and she was left alone with their housekeeper.

After her daughter Reha was born in 1938, Girone was able to secure Chinese visas from relatives in London and secure her husband's release.

In Genoa, Italy, when Reha was only 6 months old, they boarded a ship to Japan-occupied Shanghai with little more than clothing and some linens.

Her husband first made money through buying and selling secondhand goods. He saved up to buy a car and started a taxi business, while Girone knitted and sold sweaters.

But in 1941, Jewish refugees were rounded up into a ghetto. The family of three were forced to cram into a bathroom in a house while roaches and bed bugs crawled through their belongings.

Her father-in-law came just before World War II started but became sick and died. They had to wait in line for food and lived under the rule of a ruthless Japanese man who called himself "King of the Jews."

"They did really horrible things to people," Girone said of the Japanese military trucks that patrolled the streets. "One of our friends got killed because he wouldn’t move fast enough."

Information about the war in Europe only circulated in the form of rumors, as British radios were not allowed.

When the war was over, they began receiving mail from Girone’s mother, grandmother and other relatives in the U.S. With their help, they boarded a ship to San Francisco in 1947 with only $80, which Girone hid inside buttons.

They arrived in New York City in 1947. She later started a knitting store with the help of her mother.

Girone was also reunited with her brother, who went to France for school and ended up getting his U.S. citizenship by joining the Army. When she went to the airport to pick him up in New York, it was her first time seeing him in 17 years.

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Girone later divorced Mannheim. In 1968, she met Jack Girone, the same day her granddaughter was born. By the next year they were married. He died in 1990.

When asked in 1996 for the message she would like to leave for her daughter and granddaughter, she said: "Nothing is so very bad that something good shouldn't come out of it. No matter what it is."

FIRST ON FOX: A refusal by President Donald Trump to grant a key demand made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy precipitated their explosive confrontation during a live press event at the White House.

A stunned world watched Friday as Vice President JD Vance and then Trump reprimanded Zelenskyy in full view of reporters, with cameras rolling. From the moment the Oval Office event started, the dynamic between Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart was noticeably different from the two other press events Trump held with world leaders this week. 

According to sources close to Zelenskyy, tempers had flared even before the event began. The Ukrainian president was apparently presented with a minerals for security agreement by the Trump administration prior to the press event, but the deal included no security guarantees to protect Ukraine from another Russian invasion. 

Zelenskyy had warned repeatedly ahead of his trip to DC that in order to reach a mineral agreement, Kyiv needed these security assurances. Even so, he angered Trump and Vance by rejecting the deal, the source said. 

TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON 'SPECIAL REPORT,' 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS

Subsequently, just minutes after reporters asked their first questions, an aggressive spat unfolded between the heads of state that left officials behind the scenes scrambling to understand how the situation fell apart so quickly. 

"We cannot just sign an…agreement without any substantial guarantees," one Ukrainian defense advisor told Fox News Digital. "It’s not going to work. It’s just going to reward the aggressor."

Zelenskyy’s refusal to sign a deal apparently contributed to the ire he experienced on live TV at the hands of both Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

The White House has not confirmed the discussions that occurred ahead of the press event. 

The heated spat unfolded after Trump suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2014 and again in 2022 because he wasn’t in office, blaming Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, who sat in the Oval Office at the corresponding times.

ZELENSKYY BREAKS SILENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER FIERY OVAL OFFICE EXCHANGE WITH TRUMP: 'THANK YOU AMERICA'

"Yeah, that's exactly right," Vance said. 

In answer, Zelenskyy pointed out that Russia never stopped attacking Ukraine between 2014 and 2022, four years of which included Trump’s first term. 

"Nobody stopped him you know," Zelenskyy said, adding that Putin repeatedly violated bilateral agreements. 

ZELENSKYY LEAVES WHITE HOUSE AFTER BEING ‘KICKED OUT’ FOLLOWING HEATED MEETING

"What kind of diplomacy are you are speaking about? What do you mean?" Zelenskyy asked in the White House after Trump said he was "aligned" with both Russia and Ukraine.

To which Vance jumped in and said, "I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media."

Zelenskyy has repeatedly pointed out that while the U.S., under the Biden administration, approved substantial aid to Kyiv, it is Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the front lines to stop Russian aggression which poses a threat to all of Europe and could embolden adversaries like China, North Korea, and Iran – which run counter to U.S. interests. 

"You have nice ocean and don't feel now, but you will feel it in the future," he argued. 

Trump then fired up and said, "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."

A man allegedly carrying $2.5 million in cash destined for the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah reportedly was detained Friday at Beirut’s airport in a bust that an expert told Fox News Digital is "unprecedented." 

"The detainee and the seized funds will be handed over to the investigation division at the General Directorate of General Security," Lebanon's finance ministry said in a statement obtained by Reuters, which cited sources saying that the man had been traveling from Turkey.  

"The $2.5 million dollar seizure is unprecedented," David Daoud, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital. 

"We haven’t seen anything like this. Now, this does track though the fact this money is coming in from Turkey, this does track with Israeli claims that Turkey is being used as a conduit by the Iranians to get more funds to Hezbollah," Daoud continued. 

NETANYAHU GIFTS TRUMP CONTROVERSIAL ITEM THAT HELPED TURN TIDE IN WAR AGAINST HEZBOLLAH 

"Plausibly, this is one thing that got caught – how many cash transfers are getting through the dragnet?" he also said.  

The money the individual was carrying was bound for Hezbollah, which has been weakened recently by Israel’s military, sources told Reuters. 

"While Hezbollah's military capabilities were significantly reduced during the war, they are now attempting to regain strength and rearm with the assistance of Iran," Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon was quoted by Reuters as telling the U.N. Security Council last month. 

TRUMP URGED TO LOOK INTO US FUNDING OF LEBANESE ARMY OVER ACCUSATIONS OF ITS TIES TO HEZBOLLAH 

There was no immediate reaction from Hezbollah on Friday. 

Since the onset of Israel’s war against Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces engaged in cross-border skirmishes with Hezbollah – including ground operations on Lebanese soil – until a ceasefire deal was struck late last year. 

Former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in Lebanon by an Israeli airstrike in September. 

A protest over the Greek government’s response to the nation’s largest-ever train crash turned violent on Friday as scores of youths hurled rocks and gasoline bombs at police.

The fiery scenes took place in front of Greece's parliament building in Athens during mass protests to mark the second anniversary of a devastating train crash in northern Greece that left 57 people dead. 

Following hours of peaceful rallies in the Greek capital, youths with hammers smashed paving stones, throwing the rubble and makeshift firebombs at police who responded with tear gas.

BODIES FROM GREECE TRAIN COLLISION THAT KILLED 57 RETURNED TO FAMILIES IN CLOSED CASKETS

Hundreds of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of cities across Greece on Friday in a mass mobilization, led by relatives of the victims’ families.

Clashes also broke out in Greece's second city, Thessaloniki, where a giant crowd choked the centre and people released black balloons into the sky in memory of the dead.

More than 80 people were detained and five were injured in Athens alone, authorities said.

The protests - among the largest since the country's debt crisis more than a decade ago - have been fueled by public resentment against the conservative government's perceived inaction.

BODIES FROM GREECE TRAIN COLLISION THAT KILLED 57 RETURNED TO FAMILIES IN CLOSED CASKETS

Critics say that politicians should be held accountable for failures that led up to the crash, but so far only rail officials have been charged with any crimes.

"The government hasn't done anything to get justice," said Christos Main, 57, a musician at the Athens rally. "This wasn't an accident, it was murder," he said.

In one of the biggest protests in Greece in years, public services and many private businesses were brought to a halt and people poured into the streets of cities and towns chanting "murderers" against what they say is the state's role in the disaster. The government denies wrongdoing.

Rail unions say the network has been poorly maintained despite rail service upgrades to provide faster trains in recent years.

The 2023 train disaster in Tempe saw a passenger train collide head-on with an oncoming freight train.

It was Greece's worst railway accident and left dozens injured and exposed deficiencies in the country's transportation infrastructure.

The trains crashed just before the Vale of Tempe, a gorge separating the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia. The train was traveling along Greece's busiest route, from the capital Athens to the country's second-largest city, Thessaloniki.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released most of its investigation of what happened on Oct. 7, 2023, and in the days leading up to Hamas’ massacre. While the initial investigation began in November 2023, outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi ordered all units to start probes in March 2024. The IDF refrained from offering recommendations in its report, saying that those would be left to incoming IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir, who will enter the role next week.

OCTOBER 7 HASN'T ENDED. ONE YEAR LATER, 101 HOSTAGES ARE STILL BEING HELD IN GAZA

According to the IDF’s assessment, 5,000-5,600 militants infiltrated Israel in three waves. Meanwhile, 4,696 rockets and mortars were fired towards Israel. The attacks left 829 Israeli civilians, 76 foreign nationals and 415 security personnel dead. Additionally, 251 hostages were taken into the Gaza Strip.

"The fundamental failure was a result of failure to understand Hamas's intentions and readiness for a wide-scale surprise attack," IDF senior officials say in the report.

Hamas’ attacks were not done hastily, according to the IDF, the planning began nearly seven years before the massacre, with the formation of the "fundamental concept" in November 2016 and an "initial plan" in July 2017. Hamas’ plan was approved in July 2019 and the operational plan was set in August 2021. In early 2022, a readiness committee was established and over the course of the year the terror group evaluated options for implementing its plan.

The IDF says Hamas considered numerous dates for the attacks, including Sept. 16, which was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, and Sept. 25, Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. Ultimately, Oct. 7, 2023, which coincided with the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, which marks the end and re-start of the Torah.

LOOKING BACK ON THE TIMELINE OF ISRAEL'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS AFTER OCT. 7

The attack, according to the IDF’s assessment began taking shape in the early hours of Oct. 7. Hamas allegedly began preparing its forces around 11:00 p.m. on Oct. 6, after spending much of the day putting them on alert and gathering weapons, and concluded briefings by 4:00 a.m. on Oct. 7. 

The infiltration itself began with the first wave at 6:29 a.m. when 1,154 members of Hamas’ Nukhba forces invaded, breaking the security barrier between Gaza and Israel. The IDF declared a state of emergency at 6:43 a.m., and at 7:10 a.m. the Israeli Air Force (IAF) followed suit.

Between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., 3,400 militants were inside Israeli territory. Additionally, just before 8:00 a.m., Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif called on civilians in Gaza to join the attacks. The assessment states that after 9:00 a.m. attackers took advantage of IDF failures and seized opportunities to further the assault. Some allegedly planned to go deeper into Israeli territory.

Several of the "main attacks" were stopped by the IDF around 1:00 p.m., but there were still hundreds of attackers in Israel at 3:00 p.m. The IDF says it gained control of some of the communities and surrounding areas by 9:00 p.m., but dozens were present around midnight. 

"We did not predict Hamas would be able to be so brutal in its fighting," IDF senior officials wrote.

Much of the IDF’s focus was on Iran and Hezbollah prior to the Oct. 7 attacks, and Hamas was defined as a secondary threat at the time. Additionally, the IDF assumed that it could contain Hamas activity as it worked toward "gradually improving the existing reality" with the goal of removing the terror group. 

The IDF also believed that "Hamas didn’t want a full-scale war," leading Israel to conclude that a large-scale invasion was unlikely. In the assessment, the IDF says Hamas took advantage of Israel’s perception of the situation and used it to its advantage.

Another major misconception highlighted in the assessment is the IDF’s thinking that the main threat from Hamas were the rockets and mortars being shot from Gaza. This combined with reliance on defense tactics and a barrier, as well as the reduction of troops on the Israel-Gaza border would lead to catastrophe.

Israel’s Intelligence Directorate did not fully grasp or analyze intel it had on Hamas and its intentions. This apparently also applies to the IDF’s perception of the Shi’ite "Axis" and its views on Israel. The IDF says that during the review it found deep-rooted systemic issues with the intelligence directorate and culture. 

Since 2018, the Intelligence Directorate had been gathering information on Hamas’ concept for a large-scale attack on Israel. However, the plan was deemed unfeasible and was thought to reflect Hamas’ long-term goals. 

In August 2021, intel on Hamas’ military wing described the plan for a large-scale attack on Israeli communities and military outposts surrounding the Gaza Strip. Intelligence officials failed to make the connection between this new intel and what it had gathered in 2018.

The intelligence received in the months leading up to Oct. 7 indicated that Hamas was carrying out training exercises for raids. This apparently changed Israel’s elite Unit 8200’s assessment of the situation, but this was allegedly not communicated with senior leadership.

ISRAELI ARMY FINDS BODIES OF 3 HOSTAGES IN GAZA KILLED AT OCT. 7 MUSIC FESTIVAL

In the evening hours of Oct. 6, 2023, Israeli sim cards were activated inside Gaza. However, this was not alerted as it had happened before. Those same sim cards would later allow Hamas militants to communicate after they crossed the border into Israel. There were also indications that night that Hamas leaders were meeting. However, according to the IDF’s assessment, neither of these facts were enough to change the Intelligence Directorate’s way of thinking on Gaza, therefore there was no alert.
There were also indications of both usual and unusual Hamas activity that evening. The inquiry revealed that there were intelligence sources that could have been utilized overnight to enhance information that were not used. However, the IDF asserts that had the Intelligence Directive changed its assessment of the situation, there would have been a higher alert for a localized Hamas offensive, but not for an all-out war.

The IAF was found to have met and even exceeded the defined standards for readiness except for two instances due to heavy rocket fire. However, these standards did not align with what would have been required to prepare for a large-scale surprise attack. The IDF concluded that there was "significant difficulty" distinguishing IDF troops, civilians and terrorists from one another.

While the IAF struck key Hamas command centers, the IDF admits that even in its review of the strikes it is challenging to determine if there could have been a more effective strike effort given the circumstances.

However, it was noted that the IDF did not prepare for anything like the brutal Oct. 7 massacre.
"We were addicted to the precise intelligence and information we got as commanders and did not consider other scenarios. This failure will forever be etched in our memories, and we will never and should never forget," IDF senior officials wrote.

In its conclusion, the IDF notes that the assessment of the situation in Gaza and regarding Hamas was so entrenched in the establishment that there was no deep discussion about alternate possibilities. Additionally, it now says that it was "incorrect" to try to "conflict manage" Hamas and, in the future, the removal of threats should be prioritized.

The assessment also addresses the possibility of a future attack, saying that a preventative strategy will be key. 

Pope Francis experienced a bronchospasm that led to an episode of vomiting and inhalation, the Vatican said. Following the episode, the pope began non-invasive ventilation and was responding well, according to the Vatican.

The Vatican says that throughout the day the pope remained alert and oriented the entire time.
Before the episode, Pope Francis spent his morning alternating between praying and respiratory physiotherapy. He also received the Eucharist.

Earlier today, Vice President JD Vance spoke about the pope at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, and said a prayer for the 88-year-old pontiff. The vice president acknowledged their political differences, but said that he has been praying for the pope daily.

Vice President Vance invited the attendees to join him in praying for Pope Francis' health. The vice president said he hopes the pope will make it through his health struggles, and shared something the pontiff did when COVID hit that touched him.

"I think all of us can remember that moment of the Holy Father standing in an empty Saint Peter's Square, holding the Eucharist above his head and giving a sermon that I return to consistently because it was incredibly meaningful to me at the time. It remains meaningful today," Vance said before going on to read part of the homily the pope gave in March 2020.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

Two tourists were reportedly killed by sharks in the Philippines after getting swept away by an undercurrent at a popular diving location. 

The divers, identified as Ilia Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39, from Russia, were in an area off Verde Island known for its vibrant marine life and corals when they were carried away Thursday towards a group of hungry sharks that were resurfacing, according to Viral Press. 

"There was a strong current, and the group were separated. Two of them who were with the master diver were able to return to their boat, but the other two failed to resurface," Philippine Coast Guard Captain Airland Lapitan told Viral Press.  

"We had a difficult time recovering one of the divers because there were sharks circling around the body," he added. "We believe the individual was attacked by sharks because their right hand was missing." 

TERRIFYING VIDEO GIVES INSIDE LOOK AT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE EATEN BY A SHARK 

Footage taken from the dive showed schools of fish in the area in the moments before the attack. 

Peregudin, who was found unconscious at sea, was reportedly pronounced dead on arrival after being transported to a hospital in Batangas.  

TOURIST LOSES BOTH HANDS WHILE SNORKELING IN TURKS AND CAICOS AFTER SHARK ATTACKS DURING FAILED PHOTO OP 

"Everything was very overwhelming and traumatizing. We personally experienced that there were strong currents left and right and also strong waves at the surface," local resident Diego Reyes, who said he dived with the Russian tourists, told Viral Press.  

"It was really challenging to get back with the group once you got separated. I hope authorities would be able to figure out what really happened to them. Thank you Lord for keeping our group safe. Rest in peace to the Russian divers," he added. 

An investigation into the attack is ongoing. 

Former French President François Hollande said in a recent interview that President Donald Trump and his administration are "no longer" allies.

When asked to analyze Trump’s first few weeks back in the Oval Office, Hollande did not hold back on criticisms.

In a blunt interview with French news outlet Le Monde, Hollande, who left office in 2017, said that "Even if the American people remain our friends, the Trump administration itself is no longer our ally." The former French leader also accused Trump of "making pacts with our adversaries."

FRENCH PRESIDENT MACRON ASKS IF EUROPEANS ARE 'READY TO DEFEND' THEIR INTERESTS IN WAKE OF TRUMP ELECTION

Hollande asserts that Trump sees the U.S., Russia and China as the "only three powers that count," and that for the U.S. president, "Europe no longer exists." The former French leader also argued that Trump’s "real target" is Europe, not China, leading Hollande to believe that a U.S.-European "divorce" is on the horizon.

The former French leader cites Trump’s decision to call Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "dictator," combined with his willingness to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. vote against a U.N. resolution condemning Russia as reasons for this potential "divorce."

When it comes to NATO, Hollande says it’s time for the alliance to prepare for the possibility of Trump not complying with Article 5, which states that an attack on any NATO nation is an attack on all. This obligates all NATO nations to come to the aid of the one that suffers an armed attack. 

TRUMP WELCOMED BY WORLD LEADERS AT NOTRE DAME REOPENING CEREMONY IN 'PRESIDENTIAL' FASHION

While the Trump administration has made a push for European nations to step up their defense and take more action on their own continent, there is no indication that the U.S. is planning to remove itself from the alliance. 

Hollande has long been a critic of Trump. In 2016, while he was still in office, Hollande urged the American people to back Hillary Clinton and said Trump would be "dangerous" and "complicate relations between Europe and the U.S."

TRUMP MEETS FRANCE'S MACRON AT WHITE HOUSE, SAYS 'LOT OF PROGRESS' MADE TOWARD ENDING WAR IN UKRAINE

On Monday, Trump met with Hollande’s successor, French President Emmanuel Macron. After the two participated in a call with Group of Seven (G7) leaders, Trump said that "a lot of progress has been made" toward ending the war in Ukraine. Additionally, Trump said Macron is a "special man," and the U.S. wants to keep its "very special" relationship with France "going for a long period of time."

Macron described himself and Trump as "personal friends." 

"And, I'm here as well, after discussions with all my colleagues, to say that Europe is willing to step up to be a stronger partner, to do more in defense and security for this continent, and as well to be a reliable partner and to be engaged in trade, economy, investment," Macron said.

Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok is warning Americans of potential "violent retaliatory attacks" Friday after a group of 45 Uyghurs were deported by Thailand to China in a move Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned in the "strongest possible terms." 

Thai police and security officials said China had given assurances that the men — who had been in custody for more than a decade — wouldn't face penalties or be harmed. They said at a news conference Thursday that all of them voluntarily returned after being shown a translation of a written Chinese agreement requesting their repatriation and declaring they would be allowed to live normally. 

"Similar deportations have prompted violent retaliatory attacks in the past," the U.S. Embassy warned though on Friday. "Most notably, in the wake of a 2015 deportation of Uyghurs from Thailand, improvised explosive devices detonated at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok killing 20 people and injuring 125 others as this shrine is heavily visited by tourists from China." 

The Embassy is now encouraging Americans in Thailand to "exercise increased caution and vigilance, especially in crowded locations frequented by tourists due to the potential for increased collateral risk." 

FEMALE AMERICAN TOURIST, 37, GOES MISSING DURING JET SKI RIDE IN THAILAND: REPORT 

Rubio slammed the deportations Thursday, describing it as a "forced return of at least 40 Uyghurs to China, where they lack due process rights and where Uyghurs have faced persecution, forced labor, and torture." 

"As Thailand’s longstanding ally, we are alarmed by this action, which risks running afoul of its international obligations under the U.N. Convention Against Torture and the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance," Rubio continued. "This act runs counter to the Thai people’s longstanding tradition of protection for the most vulnerable and is inconsistent with Thailand’s commitment to protect human rights." 

"We urge all governments in countries where Uyghurs seek protection not to forcibly return ethnic Uyghurs to China," he added. 

"We call on Chinese authorities to provide full access to verify the well-being of the returned Uyghurs on a regular basis," Rubio also said. "The Thai Government must insist and fully verify continuously that Chinese authorities protect the Uyghurs’ human rights." 

TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN THREATENS TO EXPOSE CCP OFFICIALS IF CHINA INVADES TAIWAN 

Thai lawmakers, activists and lawyers had raised the alarm Wednesday that the men were about to be deported, and after midnight, trucks with black sheets covering their windows left Bangkok's Immigration Detention Center, where they had been held, according to the Associated Press. 

The news agency reported that it appeared the truck drove them to Bangkok's Don Mueang airport, where a China Southern Airlines plane was waiting, and then flew to the heartland of China's Uyghur population in northwestern Xinjiang province. 

In a statement on Facebook, the Chinese Embassy acknowledged Thursday that 40 Chinese nationals who it said entered Thailand illegally were deported to Xinjiang by a chartered flight. 

It said the men had been detained in Thailand for more than 10 years because of "complicated international factors." 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Pope Francis remains hospitalized in Rome after being diagnosed with double pneumonia two weeks ago, but is in a continued state of improvement, according to a statement from the Vatican late Thursday.

"As in previous days, the Pope had a peaceful night and is now resting," the Vatican said, notably omitting the word "critical" from its update for the second day in a row.

The statement said the high-flow oxygen therapy he has been receiving now includes treatments with a ventimask.

Despite his improvement, the 88-year-old pontiff's prognosis remains "guarded" and will not change until he is stable for "several more days," the Vatican said.

POPE FRANCIS' CONDITION CONTINUES TO IMPROVE AS HE RECEIVES OXYGEN THERAPY: VATICAN

The Pope was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital for respiratory issues on Valentine's Day and was later diagnosed with double pneumonia. He was initially in critical condition under a "concerning set of circumstances," but has started to slightly improve. 

When writing about the pope’s condition earlier this week, Fox News Channel’s senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel explained that bilateral pneumonia "is more problematic and more difficult to recover from," especially for "an elderly patient with scarring from previous surgeries and bouts of pneumonia."

POPE FRANCIS' HEALTH STATUS AND PROGNOSIS: DOCTOR GIVES UPDATE

Siegel also touched on the pope receiving high-flow oxygen therapy, explaining that the treatment is used for breathing issues, "but is not as aggressive as CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or mechanical ventilation." Siegel said it is a "good sign" that the pope is not on a ventilator.

"Don’t underestimate the impact of great medical care combined with the power of prayer," Siegel added.

The pope has grappled with health issues for years and even needed to have part of his lung removed in 1957 after battling pneumonia at 21 years old. He also underwent heart surgery in 2021 and 2023.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday is set to meet with President Donald Trump for the first time since he re-entered the White House to sign what could be a key minerals deal to help end Russia’s war. 

Though some details of the agreement have emerged since the meeting was announced this week, the exact terms remain unclear, and European leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, are waiting to see what could come out of this agreement, particularly when it comes to security demands.

Trump on Wednesday told reporters that Zelenskyy could "forget about" any ambitions to join NATO, but the Ukrainian president also said that day that he needs security guarantees, otherwise "we won't have a ceasefire, nothing will work, nothing."

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT US-UKRAINE MINERAL DEAL SO FAR

"I want to find a NATO path or something similar," Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainian leadership has long sought NATO membership, and in 2008 at the Bucharest Summit the alliance agreed Ukraine would eventually become a member of NATO, a defense partnership Zelenskyy has since argued is the best defense against a future Russian invasion.

Trump told reporters that by entering into a minerals deal with Washington, Kyiv will be granted "automatic security" guarantees by the mere presence of American extractors on Ukrainian soil.

"Nobody’s going to be messing around with our people when we’re there," Trump said. "We’ll be there in that way."

ZELENSKYY LOOKING FOR ‘NATO OR SOMETHING SIMILAR’ AS HE PREPARES FOR MEETING WITH TRUMP

But it remains unclear if this "guarantee" will be enough to comfort Zelenskyy, and according to former CIA Moscow Station Chief Dan Hoffman, there are too many outstanding factors to determine whether Putin would be deterred, including Kyiv's rearmament capabilities and whether NATO nations would agree to send in troops to Ukraine. 

"As far as deterring Putin from attacking again [and] as far as Ukraine's relationship with the United States, especially with this administration, you want the U.S. to have economic skin in the game," Hoffman said. "That's how you walk down that path of closer bilateral relationship, and one where it's certainly in our interest … for [Ukraine] to be an independent, sovereign nation."

Trump said on Wednesday that European allies, including the U.K. and France, will be watching U.S. negotiations with Ukraine and Russia "very closely."

"They volunteered to put so-called peacekeepers on the site. And I think that’s a good thing," he added.

In response to questions by Fox News Digital over the European Union’s position on a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal, top diplomat for the EU, Kaja Kallas, said the agreement could prove positive for Kyiv so long as it puts Ukraine in a position of strength when it comes to countering Russia at the negotiating table.

"[The] U.S. also has a very clear self-interest in play, and that hopefully makes U.S. support Ukraine more, because economic ties are making this stronger," she said. "And then it all works."

"Right now, it is a very important message that we send that we are behind Ukraine, to make them strong enough to be able to say no to a bad deal," she added. 

But it's not just European allies watching the dealings unfold; Putin is also keeping a close eye on a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal.

Putin's representatives reportedly proposed a similar deal to the Trump administration while meeting in Saudi Arabia last week, and they said a deal could be brokered to give the U.S. access to minerals in Ukrainian regions now occupied by invading Russian forces, including Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.

The Trump administration has reportedly not ruled out an economic deal with Moscow. 

Hoffman said it is in Zelenskyy's strategic interest to make a deal with Trump, as it would hamper Putin's strategic goals. 

"[Putin] doesn't want Ukraine to have commercial relationships with Europe and the United States," he said. "That was part of why he wanted to topple the central government in Kyiv and then install a puppet regime that was beholden to Russia.

"The more links Ukraine has to the West … commercial links, diplomatic and strategic military links … it's not good for Putin," Hoffman added.

European leaders are weary of President Donald Trump’s push to secure a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, with the European Union's top diplomat saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin "doesn’t really want peace."

Trump on Thursday said his administration had been in "very good talks with Russia," though he did not expand on whether any tangible progress in ending Russia’s war in Ukraine had begun.

Some NATO allies, as well as the U.S.'s decades-old partners, are increasingly frustrated with President Trump’s controversial comments about Ukraine in what has been perceived as a cost of Washington bettering ties with Moscow.

"[The] U.S. is talking to Russia, and you have to establish contacts," EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas told Fox News Digital in a sit-down interview. "But right now, Russia doesn't really want peace. 

UKRAINE ENTERS FOURTH YEAR OF WAR WITH RUSSIA: ‘CLOSER TO THE BEGINNING THAN WE ARE TO THE END’

"[Russia] … wants us to think that they can wait us out and that time is on their side, but it's not really so," she continued. "If we increase the pressure, economic pressure on them, but also political pressure, if we support Ukraine so that they would be stronger on the battlefield, then they would also be stronger behind the negotiation table."

The warning comes as Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are set to secure a minerals deal on Friday in what some hope could eventually help ceasefire discussions.

Trump has championed his ability to re-enter talks with Russia and his successful demands that NATO nations share more of the economic burden in securing Ukraine. 

NATO allies did drastically ramp up their defense spending after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but the stark reversal of U.S. policy in Ukraine between the Trump and Biden administrations has sent some European nations reeling.

While some allies, like the U.K., are looking to prove to Trump that Washington and London have more shared values than not, other leaders, like the incoming chancellor of Germany, are looking to distance themselves from the U.S., a position Berlin has not taken since the fall of Nazi Germany at the end of World War II.

Kallas, in speaking with Fox News Digital, also looked to remind the Trump administration of the important value of the NATO alliance and emphasized the only time Article 5 has been called in the 76 years since the alliance was formed was after the 9/11 attacks on the U.S.

EU WARNS TRUMP AGAINST LETTING PUTIN DIVIDE THE US AND EUROPE: 'LET’S NOT DO HIM THE FAVOR'

"In terms of … international security, we need to work together with the Americans, who have been our allies for a very, very long time," she said. "And we have been there for America."

Kallas, who served as the first female prime minister of Estonia, pointed to the sacrifices that NATO troops made in aiding the U.S. fight in the War on Terror.

"We, as Estonia, lost as many soldiers per capita as the United States," she said. "We were there for you when you asked for help. 

"That's why it's painful to hear messages that, you know, we don't care about our European allies. It should work both ways," Kallas added. 

The EU chief diplomat has repeatedly urged the U.S. and European nations not to let Putin succeed in dividing the West over Ukraine. 

Ultimately, she argued that the U.S. needs to remain a steadfast partner with Europe in deterring Russian aggression because it is not only Putin that poses an active threat to the collective alliance.

Kallas visited Washington this week to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and lawmakers about vital issues that affect the EU-U.S. security partnership, though her meeting with Rubio was canceled.

The State Department did not confirm why the meeting was canceled without being rescheduled during her stay in Washington, though Kallas said that after positive discussions with Rubio at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, she if confident communication will remain ongoing.

"There’s a lot to discuss, from Ukraine to the Middle East, also what is happening in Africa, Iran – where we have definitely mutual interest to cooperate – and not to mention China as well," Kallas said.  "There are a lot of topics that we can do [work] together with our transatlantic partners."