Donald Trump says he knows why Putin skipped Ukraine peace talks as he gives final ultimatum: Live updates

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Donald Trump said there would be no peace deal in Ukraine until he and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet on the subject.

'Nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together,' he told reporters on Air Force One as he traveled from Qatar to the United Arab Emirates.

His comments came after Putin declined to attend peace talks in Turkey, sending aides and deputy ministers instead of going himself. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Istanbul to meet with Turkish President Erdoğan but has said he won't attend any peace talk without his Russian counterpart.

Trump mulled making a stop in Turkey himself to attend the talks but is in the midst of a packed schedule in the Middle East.

He said it was 'obvious' Putin wouldn't go to Istanbul since he wasn't there.

'Obviously he wasn't going to go. He was going to go, but he thought I was going to go. He wasn't going if I wasn't there. And I don't believe anything is going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together, but we're going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying,' Trump said.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Donald Trump said the United States is very close to securing a deal with Iran that would include Tehran agreeing to no nuclear weapons.

He said Tehran had ‘sort of’ agreed to the terms.

‘We're getting close to maybe doing a deal,’ he said at a breakfast with business leaders in Doha. ‘We're in very serious negotiations with Iran for long-term peace. … If we do that it will be fantastic.’

Trump said he wants a deal done.

‘I want them to succeed. I want them to end up being a great country frankly, but they can't have a nuclear weapons,’ he noted of Tehran.

Iran is willing to sign a deal that would allow it to enrich uranium to the lower levels needed for civilian uses. The deal alsp would require Tehran to give up its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium in exchange for lifting all sanctions, NBC News reported.

Vice President JD Vance plans to return to the Vatican on Sunday for Pope Leo XVI's inaugural Mass.

Vance will be joined by his wife Usha and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to Bloomberg News.

The vice president, who converted to the Catholic faith in 2019, was last at the Vatican in April where he met briefly with Pope Francis just hours before his death.

Pope Leo is the first American pope, as he was born in Chicago.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

A Qatari military flyover honored President Donald Trump as he prepared to leave that country.

Helicopters and fighter jets in formation flew over Air Force One before Trump boarded the presidential plane.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani joined the president at Al-Udeid air base to wave him goodbye. Trump is headed to the final stop in his four-day Middle East trip: the United Arab Emirates.

The president is scheduled to tour Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and attend a state dinner in Abu Dhabi upon his arrival.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Doha, Qatar

President Donald Trump's latest pitch for Gaza is to turn the war-torn Palestinian territory into a 'freedom zone.'

Trump made the pitch Thursday morning in front of business leaders in Doha, during this week's three-country tour of the Middle East.

Qatar has been the host site of Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks.

Arab leaders had previously bristled at Trump's suggestion to turn Gaza into the 'Riviera of the Middle East,' as the president gave an imprecise answer on what would happen to the Palestinians living there.

'I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good, make it a freedom zone, let the United States get involved and make it just a freedom zone,' Trump said Thursday morning. 'I'd be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone.'

Trump's original pitch to turn Gaza into a 'Riviera' – as opposed to a Palestinian state – led Arab leaders to call an emergency meeting in Cairo to come up with their own plan.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Donald Trump ridiculed Pete Buttigieg as the former Transportation Secretary is mulling a run for president in 2028.

‘Can you believe it -- he's running the biggest air system in the world, and he takes a bicycle to work, what a -- and they say he's going to run for president. I don't see it. Who knows but I don’t see it,’ Trump said during a breakfast with business leaders in Doha.

Buttigieg visited Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday, sparking speculation he’ll run for president again. He’s also emerged as a fierce critic of the Trump administration.

‘There is a parade of horribles emanating from this White House,’ Buttigieg said, adding: ‘The American people bow to no king.’

Buttigieg also noted that on his last trip to the state: ‘I was sort of winning the Iowa caucus.’

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Donald Trump said India had offered the U.S a trade deal that proposed ‘no tariffs.’

‘It is very hard to sell in India, and they are offering us a deal where basically they are willing to literally charge us no tariffs,’ Trump said in a meeting with business leaders in Doha.

Trump had initiated a 26 percent import tax on India but then instituted a 90-day pause to allow for negotiations.

The U.S. is India's largest trading partner.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Donald Trump renewed speculation he’d run for a third term in a speech to U.S. troops stationed in Qatar.

'We won three elections, ok? And some people want us to do a fourth. I don't know. We'll have to think about that,' he said.

He also noted the speculation drives Democrats crazy.

'The hottest hat is, it says Trump 2028. We're driving the left crazy when you see that,' he added.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Doha, Qatar

President Donald Trump kept the door open to showing up to the Russia-Ukraine negotiations that are expected to happen in Turkey on Thursday.

'I was thinking about going, but it's very tough because of what we're doing today and tomorrow. But you know, if something happened, I'd go on Friday if it was appropriate,' Trump said.

The status of the peace talks is unclear. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to attend, sending aides and deputy ministers instead of going himself. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is headed to Turkey but said he wouldn't attend the high-stakes talks unless Putin was there as well.

President Donald Trump offered a love letter to American troops on Thursday when he spoke at the biggest American base in the Middle East and offered his personal thanks to a soldier who helped during the Butler assassination attempt.

Trump held a campaign-style rally at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar - complete with his signature song and dance moves - as he thanked the military for its political support and promised to 'end conflicts' around the world.

'As president, it's my priority is to end conflicts, not start them, but I will never hesitate to wield American power if it's necessary to defend the United States of America,' he said.