Morning Briefing: May 17, 2025
Anadolu’s recap of top stories from around the globe
ISTANBUL
Here’s a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Saturday with, including Donald Trump acknowledging that people in the Gaza Strip are starving, the US president also saying he has to come together with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war, and South Korean former President Yoon Suk Yeol leaving the ruling party ahead of election.
TOP STORIES
- People are starving in Gaza: Trump
US President Donald Trump said Friday that people in the Gaza Strip are starving and pledged to solve the issue.
"We want to take care of the people. Look, people are starving," Trump told Fox News in Abu Dhabi, the last leg of his three-nation Middle East tour.
"One of the things that one of the three great leaders that I saw two nights ago said to me, 'Please help the people, the Palestinians,'” said Trump. “He said they're starving, and he meant it with his heart ... so, I've already started working on that. It's a deep problem, but we'll get it solved," he added.
Since March 2, Israel has kept Gaza’s crossings closed to food, medical and humanitarian aid, deepening an already worsening humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
- Trump says he has to come together with Putin for ending Ukraine war
Trump said he has to come together with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to end the more than three-year-long Ukraine war.
"I have a very good relationship with Putin. I think we'll make a deal. We have to get together, and I think we'll probably schedule it up," the US president told Fox News in Abu Dhabi.
Istanbul hosted Russia-Ukraine talks Friday to advance peace efforts between the two countries. The two countries agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war each, the largest prisoner-of-war exchange since the onset of the conflict.
- Former South Korean former president leaves ruling party ahead of election
Former South Korean former President Yoon Suk Yeol said he is leaving the ruling People Power Party (PPP) ahead of the June 3 presidential election.
Yoon on Facebook urged supporters to vote for the PPP's presidential candidate, Kim Moon-soo.
The election was brought about by Yoon’s December surprise martial law and subsequent ouster by impeachment.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- Trump blasted Supreme Court's decision to uphold block on deporting Venezuelan migrants Alien Enemies Act.
- Palestinian resistance group Hamas hailed European countries that demanded an end to the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip.
- Israeli delegation is expected to stay in Doha Saturday evening for talks on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
- The sixth European Political Community summit in the Albanian capital city of Tirana ended Friday with an emphasis on rearmament of Europe.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for sustained international pressure to secure a full and unconditional ceasefire with Russia.
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Türkiye’s global role in diplomacy, saying it is the “standard-bearer of humanitarian diplomacy” and is “leading peace diplomacy” around the world as the country hosted Russia-Ukraine peace talks.
- The Bulgarian president said the eurozone entry referendum will be referred to court following a refusal of the National Assembly speaker to allow a vote on his proposal.
