WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump set out on a three-nation visit to the Middle East on Monday, a trip he had originally intended to use to focus on his efforts to press wealthy Gulf nations to pour billions in new investment into the United States.
But now Trump finds himself navigating a series of geopolitical crises — and searching for glimmers of hope in the deep well of global turmoil — that are casting greater import on the first extended overseas trip of his second term.
“This world is a lot safer today than it was a week ago,” Trump crowed to reporters as he sized up the foreign policy challenges he's facing as he heads to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. “And a lot safer than it was six months ago.”
The president was brimming with an overabundance of confidence about some of the world’s most intractable problems, from tensions in South Asia to the future of sanctions in Syria to the war in Ukraine.
But behind closed doors, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim al-Thani, and Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed will be looking to get a read on how Trump intends to push ahead on resolving the war in Gaza, dealing with Iran's rapidly progressing nuclear program and addressing India-Pakistan tensions.
And after weeks of threats and cajoling, it remains to be seen if Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will listen to Trump, who is demanding they meet in Istanbul this week to discuss ending Russia's war on Ukraine.
Trump, for his part, projected confidence that the meeting will happen and even seemed somewhat optimistic that the end to the conflict is near. He floated the idea of making a detour from his itinerary to visit Turkey if he thinks his presence would be constructive.
“I was thinking about flying over. I don’t know where I am going be on Thursday,” Trump said. “I’ve got so many meetings. … There’s a possibility there, I guess, if I think things can happen.”
But Ukraine’s allies remained deeply skeptical Monday about prospects for talks and whether Putin was serious about peace.
“If there is no ceasefire, there cannot be talks under fire,” European Union commission vice president Kaja Kallas told reporters at a meeting on Ukraine in London. “We want to see that Russia also wants peace. It takes two to want peace, it takes only one to want war, and we see that Russia clearly wants war.”
Just as Trump was preparing to depart Washington for the Saudi capital of Riyadh, the last living American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander, was released.
Trump and administration officials framed the moment — a goodwill gesture toward Trump by Hamas — as a chance to get foundering peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas back on track.
“This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved one,” Trump posted on social media after Hamas extended the offer Sunday. “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.”
While Trump pumped up Alexander’s release as a potential turning point, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was far more subdued. Israel, notably, has not stepped back from plans to expand its war in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s office, in a statement Monday, underscored it had “not committed to a ceasefire of any kind or the release of terrorists” in exchange for Alexander.
“The negotiations will continue under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting,” the prime minister’s office statement said.
As he prepared to leave Washington, Trump also said he’s weighing removing sanctions on the Syrian government. It's an issue that's top of mind for the three Gulf leaders, who have rallied behind the new government in Damascus and will want Trump to follow through.
“We may want to take them off of Syria, because we want to give them a fresh start,” said Trump, adding that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged him to do so.
The comments marked a striking change in tone from Trump, who has been deeply skeptical of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
Al-Sharaa took power after his Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led an offensive that toppled former President Bashar Assad in December.
The Trump administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place.
Trump also took credit for his administration keeping India and Pakistan from returning to a state of all-out war amid the deadliest fighting in six years between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
The president said he and aides were ultimately able to talk sense to India and Pakistan's leadership and guide them away from further escalation by dangling carrots, while also threatening both nations with sticks.
“I said, ‘Come on, we’re going to do a lot of trade with you guys,’” Trump said. “'If you stop it, we’ll do trade. If you don’t stop it, we’re not going to do any trade.' People never use trade the way I used it.”
The situation remains tenuous. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday that his country has only “paused” its military action and will “retaliate on its own terms” if there is any future terror attack on the country.
The president will arrive in the region after his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, held the fourth round of nuclear talks Sunday in Oman with Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi.
As the talks continue, the Trump administration has sent mixed messages about what nuclear work Iran would be allowed to do under a potential deal.
Senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have said that Tehran would be required to import enriched material to run nuclear reactors for civilian purposes. Trump, however, said last week that his administration hasn’t made a decision on the issue.
It’s also unclear if Trump will insist that Tehran give up support of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi militants in Yemen as part of any nuclear deal.
Whatever his negotiating frame may be, Trump seemed confident that Iran is engaging rationally, and that he will cement a deal soon.
“You can’t have a nuclear weapon," Trump said of his demand for Iran. "But I think that they are talking intelligently.”
However, the two sides still appear a long way from any deal, even as time passes on a two-month deadline imposed by Trump.
Madhani reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. AP writer Jill Lawless contributed from London.
President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on his way to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on his way to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Air India says a London-bound flight crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport Thursday with more than 240 passengers and crew onboard.
The airline said flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad, a northwestern city with a population of more than 5 million, five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m. local time.
The plane was bound for London Gatwick Airport and was carrying 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian, Air India said.
Visuals on local television channels showed smoke billowing from the crash site.
Here's the latest:
The U.S. government says it is ready to send a team to help investigate the Air India crash if Indian officials request it.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the National Transportation Safety Board would be the U.S. government’s primary representative and the FAA provides technical support.
The NTSB routinely helps determine the causes of about 450 international crashes every year.
The Indian army has deployed 130 personnel including doctors and paramedics to assist civil authorities in Ahmedabad in clearing debris from the Air India plane crash and help treat the injured.
The city’s local military hospital has also been kept on a standby, the army said in a statement.
The airport in south London says it is “liaising closely with Air India” and that staff is setting up a reception center for relatives of those on board the Air India Boeing 787 flight to provide “information and support.”
In a statement posted on social media, it said the flight, which had more than 240 passengers and crew aboard, was due to land at the airport at 6:25 p.m. local time.
Gatwick, which is around 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of London, is the U.K.’s second-busiest.
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In an updated statement, Boeing said “We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them.”
“Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected,” the company said.
Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m. local time.
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“It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,” Commissioner G.S. Malik told The Associated Press.
He added that with the plane crashing in a residential area with offices, “some locals would have also died.”
“Exact figures on casualties are being ascertained,” he said.
The flight crashed midday shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport with more than 240 people on board.
John McDermid, a computer scence professor at the University of York with expertise in safety engineering, said that while it was too early to know much about the cause of the crash it appeared to be very surprising at first glance.
While takeoffs and landings are the most dangerous phases of a flight, he noted that the plane had not climbed above 200 meters (650 feet).
“Pilots can abort takeoff until quite late,” McDermid said. “So it seems like the problem occurred very suddenly in the final part of the takeoff roll, or shortly after takeoff, and was sufficiently serious to be unmanageable.”
He also said that jets have many backup systems, such as the ability to climb with only one engine, which also made it an unusual accident.
In a message to Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his “deepest condolences” in the aftermath of the Air India crash.
“Please convey my sincere sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, as well as my wishes for a speedy recovery to all those injured in this disaster,” he said in a letter published on the Kremlin’s website.
At the time, it was the world’s first airliner made mostly from lightweight composite materials. It was also the first to make extensive use of lithium ion batteries, which are lighter, recharge faster and can hold more energy than other types of batteries.
In 2013 the 787 fleet, which numbered around 50 jets at the time, was temporarily grounded because of overheating of its lithium-ion batteries, which in some cases sparked fires.
In a social media post, Modi said the tragedy in Ahmedabad “has stunned and saddened us.”
"In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it,” he said, adding he has been in touch with ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.
“The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” Starmer said in a statement.
Air India said the passengers onboard the Boeing 787-8 included 53 British nationals. Britain has very close ties with India and according to the 2021 U.K. census, there were nearly 1.9 million people in the country of Indian descent.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch echoed the prime minister’s message.
“My thoughts are with all those affected — especially the families of those on board, and the emergency teams responding to what appears to be a horrifying tragedy,” Badenoch said on the X social media platform.
Boeing said in a brief statement: “We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.”
The crash comes days before the opening of the Paris Air Show, a major aviation expo where Boeing and European rival Airbus will showcase their aircraft and battle for jet orders from airline customers.
Boeing has been in recovery mode for more than six years after Lion Air Flight 610, a Boeing 737 Max 8, plunged into the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board. Five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 Max 8, crashed after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 157 passengers and crew members.
Shares of Boeing Co. tumbled as much as 9% before trading opened in the U.S.
In August 2020 an Air India Express Boeing-737 skidded off a hilltop runway in southern India, killing 21 people.
The worst air disaster in India was on Nov. 12, 1996, when a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight collided midair with a Kazakhastan Airlines Flight near Charki Dadri in Haryana state, killing all 349 on board the two planes.
India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, said he was “deeply shocked to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad" in a post on X. “Our prayers are with the passengers and their families,” he said.
Air India in a statement said there were 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 British, one Canadian and seven Portuguese. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals.
People stand around debris at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Firefighters work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Firefighters work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, India, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - Rescue workers at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
