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One World with Zain Asher

Trump & Netanyahu Meeting Amid Tensions Over Ongoing Iran War; Trump & Netanyahu Meeting as Relationship Grows Strained; Fourth Heat Wave Hits Europe as Flames Ravage France, Spain; Dozens Injured after 6.8 Magnitude Quake Strikes Japan; Zelenskyy: Russia Providing Iran with Intel on U.S. Bases; Lifeguards Save Boy from Powerful Waves at Beach. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired July 28, 2026 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Hello, everyone. Live from New York. I'm Bianna Golodryga. Zain is off today. You are watching "One World". We

begin with breaking news from Japan. Damage reports are pouring in this hour after a major 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the country south.

Thousands of homes across the region are now without power. Rescuers are racing to find dozens of people unaccounted for at this shopping mall that

you're looking at right now, which partially collapsed. Rail services in the area have been halted and flights have been grounded.

At least 50 injuries are reported so far. Hanako Montgomery joins us now live with the details. And this happened in Kumamoto Prefecture, Hannko,

where there was a tragic scene very similar to this one some 10 years ago with a massive earthquake, then killing many. What are the reports now?

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Bianna. As you said, most of the initial reports of damage are coming from Kumamoto Prefecture in

Japan's southern region. Now we are seeing that a large mall has partially collapsed, making it, I mean, impossible for rescuers to reach it from the

first floor, just because it has seen so much extensive damage.

Now we do know that it collapsed following an explosion after an earthquake, and authorities are still trying to confirm what exactly caused

that explosion. Now, after the earthquake, authorities did evacuate about 200 people from that mall. But what's causing some concern right now,

Bianna, is the fact that around 20 to 30 employees who are working inside that mall are currently not reachable.

They can't be contacted, so they do fear that they might be trapped underneath some rubble, that they might need some rescuing, so authorities

are raising to get contact with those individuals. Now we are also seeing reports of fires that are broken out across Kumamoto Prefecture. We've also

seen a bridge partially collapse, and in one case we have seen a train overturn.

Now, fortunately, there weren't any passengers inside at the time, but authorities are trying to confirm any related reports of damage that might

have occurred due to this train turning over. Now we have also heard from the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that thousands of self-defense

force troops are being deployed to the region to help with ongoing rescue efforts.

And the next few days, the next couple of days are really, really critical, Bianna, to get any individuals out who might need rescuing. Now, also, I do

have to note that Japan is a very seismically active country. It sees about an earthquake every single day, if not more. So, even though it is used to

earthquakes, it of course sees massive ones that cause extensive damage, like this case, and potentially reported losses of life.

Now, also one thing to note is that Kumamoto Prefecture, as you mentioned about a decade ago, also saw a devastating earthquake that killed nearly

300 people and injured thousands more. So, authorities are hoping that history won't repeat itself. That they will be able to get those

individuals out who might need rescuing, and that they will be able to minimize the impact of damage this time, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah. Given how frequent earthquakes are in Japan, it has one of the world's strictest building regulations and codes as well. Otherwise, we

would tragically see so many more deaths after earthquakes like this one. Unfortunately, as we're looking at the damage here, it does look rather

extensive.

And just the thought of people being trapped inside those buildings makes it clear that time is of the essence to rescue them. Hanako Montgomery, you

will be on top of the story for us. Thank you so much.

Well, two high-profile world leaders are visiting the White House today at a time when both men are focused on wars impacting their countries. After

meeting Ukraine's Leader, Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is his seventh meeting during

President Trump's second term, but their first since February when they laid the groundwork for the joint military campaign against Iran.

We begin our coverage with CNN's Nic Robertson in Jerusalem. So, Nic, even the fact that the prime minister secured a meeting with President Trump

that wasn't certain. He was coming here for Lindsey Graham's funeral. Just talk about what he is hoping to accomplish in this meeting with President

Trump here today marks five months exactly since that war began.

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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, I think we have an insight from President Trump today, speaking to FOX a little while ago

about what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may want to achieve?

The president was asked about Pickaxe Mountain because it's widely expected that Prime Minister Netanyahu will come with Israeli intelligence about

what he believes Iran is doing with some of its nuclear assets at Pickaxe Mountain, which is basically believed to be hiding them under this very

tough granite mountain.

President Trump saying that he wants to keep me involved. That's -- that was I think he's there, meaning Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to keep him

involved President Trump and the United States in the war with Iran because Prime Minister Netanyahu really feels that the war has stopped too early.

That there's more to be done. That Iran is still an existential threat potentially to Israel.

That it perhaps will reconstitute what it has with its nuclear capabilities, and that remains a threat. President Trump, in that interview

that he had just a few minutes ago, said that he knows what's going on at Pickaxe Mountain. He can see it. He's got the satellite intelligence to see

it.

So, it seems as if you know, at least the way President Trump presents himself about this meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, the prime

minister may find it a little bit tough, and it's not at all clear that we'll see any of this play out on camera. The last time the pair met at the

White House, it wasn't done as we so often see in armchairs in the Oval Office, with journalists asking lots of questions that could be

embarrassing for either President Trump or Prime Minister Netanyahu.

So, I think as we go into this at the moment, I think the understanding is that Prime Minister Netanyahu really relishes the opportunity to spend time

with President Trump because he has an election at home here in Israel in three months' time. And he needs to be able to, you know, breathe new life

into the understanding that he has a great relationship with President Trump.

And that will be one of the vital things for him going into the election here to be able to convince Israelis he has ear of the president; he has

influence over the United States. The United States has Israel's back, even with him as prime minister.

So, you know, these will be some of the things on his mind going in, whether or not he sways the president one way or another on Iran isn't

clear. Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is very good at landing his message, and that's something we've seen in the past.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, no doubt. However, many bumps in the road and ups and downs we've seen play out are reported on between these two men, there is

some sort of affinity between them as well and their relationship. But it's also clear that five months into this war, this was likely not the outcome

that prime minister had sold to President Trump and had hoped for himself with the war in Iran. Nic Robertson, thank you.

For more on this, let's bring in Firas Maksad. He is the Managing Director for the Middle East and North Africa, the Eurasia Group. Firas, always good

to see you. You are in Lebanon right now, so I want to talk about what things are like there as it relates to both Israel and the war in Iran.

But let's talk about this meeting first between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu. There are some reports that perhaps Prime Minister

Netanyahu had to come with a deliverable to secure this meeting. Not sure about that, but this was a very high stakes meeting for the prime minister,

given that he most likely is wanting to go back to war, or at least for the United States to resume kinetic action in Iran.

President Trump keeps vacillating back and forth, now saying there's a good chance at diplomacy. Do you think there's any intelligence that the prime

minister can present to President Trump that can sway him?

FIRAS MAKSAD, MANAGING DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA, EURASIA GROUP: Yes, Bianna. Well, first, it's important to stress that Israel is America's

closest ally in the Middle East, remains so. And that President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have a long-standing relationship.

And the uneasy at times, but nonetheless perhaps even begrudging respect from President Trump for the strong man personality of the Israeli Prime

Minister. Now that said, frustration differences have emerged time and again between them, particularly as it pertains to the conduct and the

objectives of this war.

We've heard President Trump time and again criticize the Israeli Prime Minister publicly, even calling him crazy, suggesting in today's interview

that he did not need to listen to the Israeli Prime Minister to understand what's going on in Pickaxe Mountain in Iran.

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This presumed Iranian nuclear facility buried deep inside of a mountain. And that he probably would have preferred if that intelligence was shared

in private rather than in public. Perhaps here Netanyahu's attempt to pressure President Trump into further action against Iran.

So, it is an uneasy relationship. And in one where President Trump is always keen to demonstrate that he has the upper hand. Certainly, against

the backdrop of suggesting that it was Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu in the past that had convinced him to undertake military action in this

decapitation strike against the Iranian leadership, which was also presumably based on Israeli intelligence.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, it is a delicate line for Prime Minister Netanyahu. He is a seasoned politician. We've had many on our show, many experts that have

covered him for years that say it is always wrong to count him out because he will fight until the very end. So, he, on the one hand, has to appeal to

his domestic audience at home about being sort of in the lead here and independent of President Trump as it relates to their security and even the

war with Iran.

But as we heard from President Trump here, it's clear he didn't like even hearing reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu was going to tell him

something he didn't already know. Let's talk about just the state of this fragile ceasefire. The MOU set to expire in just a couple of weeks' time.

President Trump is claiming after 13 days of strikes that it was the Iranians that begged to come to the negotiating table to beg for a deal

right now to bring this to an end at least momentarily. President Trump is touting what its military has been able to accomplish thus far.

The Iranians, however, are saying we did no such thing. And they are viewing themselves as the victor for even getting to this point, where

they're controlling the Strait of Hormuz. Walk us through objectively who's in the right here.

MAKSAD: Yeah, I think both sides have something to point to. Certainly, the Iranians have succeeded beyond the wildest imagination. I would even dare

say their own in weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz and their ability to restrict shipping through the Strait. But they are hurting, and the Iranian

economy was in a tailspin even before this war began.

I think it's easy to forget that that's what brought tens, perhaps even hundreds of thousands of Iranians to the streets to protest the regime. And

then had the regime kill thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of them. So, Iran seems like it's 10 feet tall right now, standing up to the U.S. and

Israel, but probably has quite a bit of fragility to it.

The status quo today, as it stands, Bianna, is that if we're talking about the Israeli Prime Minister coming to the White House yet again, presumably

to present intelligence or make the case for a return to military action.

The Arabs, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council Arabs, the Saudis, the Qataris, the Omaris in particular, are still wanting to give diplomacy

another chance because blowback tends to always be against these countries and their energy facilities.

So, there is an Omani proposal right now on the table for a new construct, a new regime of how to govern and control the Straits of Hormuz. The case

being made to President Trump is: let's give diplomacy one last shot before, perhaps should it fail, go back to escalation and escalation that

very much the Israeli Prime Minister is presumably pushing and lobbying (ph) for.

GOLODRYGA: Speaking of diplomacy, there appears to be a unique opportunity unfolding between Lebanon and Israel on that front. That's evolved since

this war began. You are in Beirut. Israel has just pulled out of the first pilot zone. The Lebanese army then moved in. We've got talks in Rome.

They continue next week as well. But it all still hinges on Hezbollah disarming. Nobody thinks the Lebanese armed forces at this point are

capable of doing that. Is this peace process continuing right now, or do you think there's going to be a pause at least until the October elections

in Israel?

MAKSAD: Well, Bianna, you and I are talking about the Israeli Prime Minister's visit to the White House today. A week ago, when I was still in

Washington, it was the Lebanese President that was in the Oval Office, and he got a very warm recession.

What the Lebanese really want to demonstrate through these direct negotiations with Israel, which are unprecedented, these two countries have

been legally and technically at a state of war for decades now.

What they want to demonstrate is that diplomacy can deliver. And therefore, those gradual Israeli pullouts, these redeployments from these pilot zones,

which the U.S. is playing the key role in brokering and overseeing.

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Those are of utmost importance for the Lebanese state and the Lebanese army to demonstrate to their constituency that you don't need an Iranian-backed

militant group such as Hezbollah to be able to regain your land, and that in fact peace with Israel, or at least an end to hostilities, decades of

hostilities, is possible.

Now that doesn't mean that Hezbollah is going to be disbanded and disarmed anytime soon. That will take quite a long time. Iran spent about four

decades building Hezbollah, arming funding, and the Lebanese states will take years in order to try and weaken Hezbollah by restricting the funding

and the weapons flow.

But it is a process, and therefore it's very important for the U.S. to demonstrate that diplomacy between Israel and Lebron, can deliver.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, you're right to point out a very warm reception last week for President Aoun when he met with President Trump. The first such

meeting, I believe, to take place at the White House in decades. Firas Maksad, always good to see you, thank you.

And in the next hour, I'll be speaking with the man who wants to replace Benjamin Netanyahu as Leader of Israel, Former Prime Minister Naftali

Bennett. All right, just ahead for us, a near apocalyptic scene in France as emergency crews are lining the highway just across the road with

towering flames of smoke-the dangerous conditions that firefighters are up against. That's next.

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GOLODRYGA: Europe is in the grip of a fourth heat wave, fueling dry conditions that have sparked massive wildfires, forcing hundreds of

thousands of people from their homes and burning hundreds of thousands of acres. In France, military engineers are joining with firefighters to

battle the intense flames.

More than 220,000 people in the country's southwestern region have been forced to leave their homes, with many heading to evacuation centers. And

in Spain, a total of eight major wildfires are still raging. CNN's Pau Mosquera joins me live now from Cebreros, Spain. Tell us about where you're

standing right now and what happened behind you, Pau?

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bianna, what you can see here around me is the result of the largest wildfire ever recorded here in Spain. This

is the Burgohondo wildfire that started last week in the south and part of the Avila Province. And just have a look, Bianna, to the landscape.

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I mean, you can see the result of these devastating flames. The ground is completely blocked, charred, and actually, you can easily get the smell of

burned wood. There are just some trunks over here, the rest of some trees, but they look completely, completely burned and destroyed.

There's no sign of plant life here around me. And actually, if we have a look behind us, you can see like the signal of the very active fires in the

area. Because what you can see, like in white, there behind us is the smoke that it's rising from the different active fire fronts.

And actually, if we get the chance to have a look south from where we are, you're going to see there the very end like a thin column of smoke pointing

the exact place where right now there's flames burning the forest area. This is such a tragic and devastating situation, Bianna,

The largest wildfire ever registered in the country. Nevertheless, despite what I'm showing you, the authorities were cautiously positive during this

morning because they said that emergency workers overnight; they got the chance to stop the flames from spreading any further. But this doesn't mean

like the fires are under control. We are far from that.

Also, the point is that the next few hours are going to be crucial because from tomorrow Wednesday and on, the fourth heat wave of the summer is going

to impact the Iberian Peninsula, which means that temperatures are going to rise again.

And with higher temperatures and lower humidity, this means that there's going to be a greater risk for wildfires like this one to keep spreading

across the country, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, and so many of these fires in both countries, Spain and France, are not contained. You're looking on your screen there. We were

just showing you images of a fire that continues in Onda, Spain, just North of Valencia, as well. Pau Mosquera, thank you so much, and please stay

safe.

Let's bring in Eric Brocardi. He is the Spokesman for France's National Federation of Firefighters. And he is currently in Bordeaux, France.

Lieutenant Colonel, thank you so much for the time. Officials there say that the fire is destabilized.

LT. COL. ERIC BROCARDI, SPOKESPERSION, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FRENCH FIREFIGHTERS: Thank you to you.

GOLODRYGA: But it is not contained. With it now in the late afternoon, right now temperatures are climbing once again. What are you seeing on the

front lines?

BROCARDI: Since several days we are facing wild fire with an exceptional intensity. Today again the fire is not contained. We need to have more time

because the fire is very, very hard to fight him. In Gironde alone, 45,000 effectors have already burned. 200 of thousands of people have been

evacuated.

It's incredible, and so that's why who -- but everybody, all the citizens are in saved. So that's why the fight of the firemen is very hard. But

remember that during these fights, we lost four firemen: one in Savoy (ph), three others in Gironde because of the fire. It's a major civil protection

crisis where we lost some firemen.

So that's why we were together think to the family. And by this word, I want to say, be careful, all the firemen of the world, because the wildfire

today are more dangerous than several years ago. So that's why to face difficulties, we just need to have some -- using some new techniques

because this takes us with, for example, to try to massive attack when the fire bursts.

We have strong winds in the same -- in the same -- in the same place, we have extreme drought. We have very high temperature. In France, we say that

when you have more than 30 degrees, when you have wind out of 30 kilometers by high waters, when you have humidity under drought under 30 percent, you

just see that all the conditions are together to make a very big fire.

But despite this condition, firefighters have continued to hold the line, with their top priority being the protection of life and communities.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, your interior minister said that this fire has a life of its own. Nearly 3,000 firefighters have been deployed. Sadly, as you said,

several have been killed. We understand close to 90 have been injured.

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So, of course, our thoughts are with them. And so many there are so grateful for the work that firefighters are doing. France has just carried

out its largest peacetime evacuation since World War II. You've got hundreds of thousands of people evacuated from their homes.

People sleeping, thousands of people sleeping on cots. What is your message to those residents about when you think they will be able to return to

their homes or any sense of normalcy?

BROCARDI: It's very important to say that people would need to wait for to go back to her home. It's very important that people need to listen the

conditions to go out from their house by the authorities because it's only this solution who can make a good work for the fire man. Why?

Because when you go out from home to evacuate in another city, you make the free road for engines in of a fireman. Why? Because in Gironde, it's very

difficult to have some road very large. It's very straight, and sometimes you have only one road from the north to the south of the Gironde.

So that's why we said to people, go out from your house, close your house, listen to authorities, and go away. We are here for protect your home. So

that's why we can give congratulations to all the firemen who fight the fire because they saved 100 and more of houses.

So that's why when people will go back to a home, they will say that OK, thanks to fireman, my home he saved. But remember one thing: now with hard

wildfires, we need to prepare your home all the time to make clearly around your house, make clearly around all your country because we don't.

We need to get out the heat to the fire. Less you have vegetables, less you have something to combustible for the fire. More you will have your chance.

You are lucky to have your house saved, so that's why I say to people: if you don't watch your home, don't be destroyed by the firm. You need to

clearly around your home.

GOLODRYGA: Lieutenant Colonel Eric Brocardi, great advice there. Hopefully, residents will use it and heed all of the warnings that brave firemen like

yourself are issuing. Thank you for everything that you're doing. We appreciate the time.

And coming up, an update on the devastating earthquake that has rocked Southern Japan, an area still reeling from the last earthquake. We'll have

details ahead.

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GOLODRYGA: Welcome back to "One World". I'm Bianna Golodryga in New York. Here are some headlines we're watching today. A 6.8 magnitude earthquake

hit Southern Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture early on Tuesday. Officials say at least 50 people are injured. The earthquake partially collapsed this

shopping mall, trapping more than 20 workers inside. At least 46,000 homes remain without power.

Wildfires are raging across parts of France and Spain, with firefighters battling flames fueled by the bone-dry conditions with no relief in sight.

Temperatures are expected to soar this week, threatening to make the fires even more dangerous and difficult to control.

In Washington, U.S. lawmakers and global leaders are paying tribute to Senator Lindsey Graham, who died earlier this month at the age of 71.

Longtime colleagues bid farewell to the late Senator in the Capitol Rotunda, and later today, President Trump is expected to speak during a

funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral.

The Israeli Prime Minister is meeting with President Trump this hour at the White House. An Israeli source says Benjamin Netanyahu plans to present

Donald Trump with fresh intelligence on the state of Iran's nuclear and military rebuilding. Ahead of the meeting, Israel's Defense Minister

acknowledged gaps between the two countries over how to proceed on Iran.

And updating our top story now: the powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Southern Japan earlier on Tuesday. Right now, there are several

employees still trapped in a mall in Kumamoto Prefecture. We're also learning of factory workers unaccounted for at a paper factory.

Regional rail services have been canceled, and the airport has shut down. And at last check, about 45,000 homes were without power. I want to bring

in Seismologist Jeffrey Park. He is also Professor of Earth and Planetary Scientist Sciences at Yale University. Professor, thanks so much for

joining us.

So, as we mentioned at the top of our hour, with our correspondent in Japan, Kumamoto was hit by a devastating earthquake nearly 10 years ago

that killed nearly 300 people. Today's earthquake is related. Is it related to the same fault line?

JEFFREY PARK, SEISMOLOGIST: Yes, it is. It is certainly related to the same fault line. The kind of system that's set up there is associated with the

subduction of the Philippine Sea plate beneath the Eurasian plate on the Southern Coast of Japan. And so, all of that kind of large-scale systems is

connected.

And in that area, there is a large what we would call a strike slip fault of horizontal tearing inside of the Japan Peninsula itself and the Island

of Kyushu, and that is the location of many earthquakes that and some of this size and danger.

GOLODRYGA: Japan has arguably one of the world's strictest seismic building codes, and yet we see the devastation of that collapsed shopping mall and

concerns about those that remain trapped there. Again, going back to the fact that there was an earthquake there, a deadly earthquake exactly there

10 years ago.

Is there anything to be said about the structure and design of these buildings, or is this something that is totally dependent on the scale of

an earthquake like this?

PARK: The scale of the earthquake is important. The 110 years ago was somewhat larger than the one today. But it's important to note that if

there's going to be an earthquake of this size near an urban area, there will be damage and there will be some fatalities, most likely.

And so, the system has to be resilient enough to try to minimize the fatalities, especially the fatalities, and then to keep all of the

infrastructure functioning. So, that disaster does not go on for many days and weeks.

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GOLODRYGA: Yeah, and we should note it makes a world of difference given these strict regulations in Japan. When you look at an earthquake of this

size and the damage it inflicts versus covering earthquakes around the world as we tragically do, where we see a lot larger loss of life. Just

Venezuela is the latest example of that. The Japan meteorological, yes.

PARK: If you -- yeah, I was about to say is that Venezuela suffered an earthquake that was roughly about the same scale, and the damage was far

more severe, and the death toll was far higher.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, and the search and rescue-I mean, it's gone on for weeks. Still, so many unaccounted for there. The Japan Meteorological Agency is

warning residents to brace for further strong quakes for about a week plus a landslide risk. Walk us through what the week ahead looks like for

residents there and for scientists as they're trying, trying to navigate what the next few days holds.

PARK: Well, what will happen is that there will be aftershocks of an earthquake of this size. Typically, they will be smaller. I was looking on

the U.S. Geological Survey website and found at least six or seven of them, of magnitude four and above have already been recorded and located.

And so, we should expect to see tremors of that size, fours and fives, for many days, and then tapering off in the next couple of weeks. There are

instances where you can have this earthquake stressing nearby faults, so that there'll be another earthquake that of comparable size that could

occur a decade later, or maybe a few decades later.

And that maybe there may be that kind of connection between this earthquake and the 110 years ago. That's going to take further research to see if that

that hypothesis is true.

GOLODRYGA: Another big concern anytime you see an earthquake of this size is any impact on nuclear sites. The Sendai Nuclear Station is about 60

miles from the epicenter of this particular earthquake. It reported no damage at all.

All other plants, whether it's Sony, Fujifilm, TSMC, they've all been evacuated as well. So, post Fukushima, how much better protected are these

critical sites, in particular nuclear sites in the country?

PARK: I'd say that they're as state of the art as they can be. There are always sometimes surprises that nature throws up at us, but in terms of

understanding the kinds of shaking and potential damage that has occurred before to nuclear power plants or other kinds of essential infrastructure,

the Japanese try to learn from their experience. They've improved their systems every decade.

GOLODRYGA: Well, we will continue to stay on top of this as the rescue efforts continue just hours after this massive earthquake. Jeffrey Park,

thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Well, major world leaders are attending the late Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral. This includes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy met with President Trump at the White House this morning. He has accused Russia of providing Iran

with intelligence on U.S. military bases.

On Monday, President Trump downplayed those claims, though the issue likely came back up in his meeting with Zelenskyy. Let's discuss all of this with

Nick Paton Walsh live from London. One would guess, Nick, that this was a much more cordial and friendly meeting than the one we saw about 15 months

ago during Trump's first or second month in office, when President Zelenskyy was berated in the Oval Office.

Now you have President Zelenskyy coming in, being an innovator that the world really is championing when it comes to drone technology, modern

warfare. At the same time, there's a lot of vulnerability militarily. He had a change in leadership that led to mass protests on the streets and

still the need for missile defense programs. Just talk about what his asks are going into this meeting?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I don't really what we should read into the fact that this was a closed

meeting. Maybe it's two men who felt comfortable enough in each other's presence and the agenda that the president didn't feel the need to

grandstand or broadcast any messages from it.

Maybe there is some potential progress here in terms of the deal that Ukraine urgently needs to have to get the interceptor Patriot technology

that could potentially hold off what, in recent night, been a record number of Russian ballistic missiles fired at it.

Clearly, the readout from the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is that the interceptors was high on the agenda. And he brought with him some

ideas that might potentially help.

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Look, it's a huge leap from the conceptual agreement we saw around the NATO meeting in Ankara, where President Trump said, look, you can have the

licenses. Really, one of the biggest concessions in terms of military technology the U.S. could have offered to a country who, a year ago.

They were berating for bringing nothing to the table, for having no cards, to actually taking that concept and materializing it on the ground in

Ukraine by mass production of these interceptors. That's a big ask, and Zelenskyy said he'd like to see it up and running by the end of the year.

But there's a lot of work, certainly indeed, to do.

But it's urgent and desperately needs to occur. There were suggestions too from President Zelenskyy that diplomacy was back on the table as well.

Look, that's not just stalled. I mean, it was frankly, some said, you know, kind of do not resuscitate for much of the period of time during the Alaska

meetings, where the Russians had specific goals, the Ukrainians would never really latch onto, but they ultimately had to play along with it to keep

the White House happy.

It's certainly gone more than in a pause. Now the Europeans, briefly, it seemed, trying to start something up. There were suggestions they might be

looking for some sort of process independently. Even indeed, Russian President Vladimir Putin floating the Former German Chancellor Gerhard

Schroder as a potential mediator in all of this. That's still stalled.

But as you point out, the picture is not entirely rosy for Ukraine at this point. They have got extraordinary positive headlines through their long-

range drone strikes inside of Russia, causing fuel queues, damage to refineries, damage to Russia's equivalent of Amazon, really bringing the

war home to Russia, and indeed killing Russian civilians it seems during those strikes as well.

That sea change, though, doesn't remove the broader structural issues Ukraine has. You talked about turmoil in the cabinet and the military

command. Well, the new leaders have to deal with the issue of manpower and mobilization. They have to deal with the cash crunch they've faced.

They've got European money coming in now, but it doesn't suddenly make things infinitely rosy overnight. And on the other side, too, the pendulum

may well slowly swing back towards Russia's favor here. Many believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin has to launch some kind of mobilization in

the coming months after elections in Russia.

President Zelenskyy's hammered that point home. Zelenskyy's also talks about 30,000 North Korean troops he claims are on their way to the war as

well. And we have winter coming where in the past, we've seen Russia's air power launch devastating strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, frozen

winters to part of the cabinet reshuffle in Ukraine has been to put a new prime minister in, who can potentially make the winter less freezing and

horrific.

It is possible in the months ahead, Russia regroups begins to reclaim the narrative partially, despite the extraordinary issues Putin's currently

having to weather at the moment. But I think in this meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump, Zelenskyy will want to see the practical realization

of this promise of patriots now, not in months ahead.

Urgent actions they can get this indeed going. But make no mistake: the relationship between these two men certainly has changed. But it may be

because Trump senses Ukraine is a winner. When that stops, does it change back again?

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, he definitely has lauded some of the military gains and accomplishments that Ukraine has amassed over the past few months. Nick,

how much should we read into this intelligence that President Zelenskyy reportedly shared with President Trump about Russia's involvement in aid to

Iran in the war there.

WALSH: I mean, look, this is clearly Ukraine positioning itself on the side of the Americans in their sprawling, complex conflict with Iran, basically

saying we're the kind of NATO ally you wish NATO would have been. Remember Trump's anger towards the real members of NATO for not joining wholesale

his attack on Iran or assisting in the Strait of Hormuz.

Ukraine doesn't have the extra bandwidth here to genuinely start another war with Iran. But also remember, Iran has been on Russia's side since the

start, supplying the Shahed cheap drones that, in fact, had across the Gulf, but were earlier being tested and tried against Ukraine by Russia and

are now built by Russia on mass.

So, Iran's been in this war for some time, ultimately, though not on the front lines. And I think the moment and the timing Zelenskyy seized upon by

hitting an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea that he said was bringing assistance to Russia, effectively making it in Ukraine's eyes a legitimate

target, was to say to Trump, look, we understand the bind you're in, but Iran is a problem, and we also want to hit them too.

Zelenskyy's also said that the Iranians have been sharing top-end. Sorry, the Russians have been sharing top-end satellite imagery with the Iranians

to assist targeting of Americans in the Gulf. That matches CNN reporting in the past, and indeed we've talked about how the Russians have been sharing

advanced drone tactics too with the Iranians.

That relationship clear, and I think it's the choice of Ukraine right now to emphasize it and to try and suggest to Trump that they are an ally that

brings cards to the table.

[11:45:00]

Remember that comment last year that Ukraine indeed had no cards. Well, now we see the United States sniffing around Ukrainian frontline drone

technology to see what could potentially benefit them, seeing the Ukrainians on their feet again and potentially inflicting real damage on

Russia.

As I say, though, look, you know, Trump is not just fickle. You know, he vacillates exceptionally quickly on this particular issue. And so, we have

to see if this newfound coziness, perhaps, between Trump and Zelenskyy, or indeed between the U.S. and Ukraine, or the MAGA Republican part of the

United States and Ukraine.

If that sustains, or if it takes a few more phone calls from the Kremlin to President Trump to have him sounding more and more like someone familiar

with Russia's talking points in the coming months ahead.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, thus far, President Trump, at least publicly, has still been reluctant, despite all of this intelligence and reporting about how

much Russia has been assisting the Iranians to confront Vladimir Putin publicly. He says that he's been downplaying it and says that he will

address it the next time the two men speak. Nick Paton Walsh, thank you so much for that very comprehensive breakdown. Really appreciate it.

And still to come for us, nearly six months after her mother vanished without a trace, Savannah Guthrie issuing a new emotional plea.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: Journalist and Host of NBC's Today Show, Savannah Guthrie has posted a new emotional plea for information about her missing mother Nancy,

who was taken from her home back in February. This latest appeal comes after federal investigators said earlier this month that all three of the

notes linked to the case were fake. CNN's Jason Carroll has more on Guthrie's latest message to her mother's kidnappers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, HOST, NBC'S "TODAY SHOW": It has been months since our mom was taken from us. Our family is in agony. We are in a nightmare that

will not end. Nothing about our situation has changed.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A new heartfelt plea coming from Savannah Guthrie.

GUTHRIE: The world can be a cruel and unforgiving place. And I know that you have tried to do things the right way. So, I'm asking you, begging you,

to do the right thing now.

CARROLL (voice-over): Guthrie posted the emotional message today on Instagram, the same platform the family has released many of its messages

to the public, ever since Nancy Guthrie, Savannah's mother, disappeared nearly six months ago.

[11:50:00]

Days after her kidnapping, the family received its first ransom note, unknown publicly at the time, but revealed last week by Crime Journalist

Briana Whitney on the Crime Junkie Podcast. That note to the Guthrie said, we have your mother, Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for

ransom, and once payment is received, she will be released unharmed.

Whitney says the note referred to details about Guthrie's Arizona home, including a smart watch in her bedroom and a damaged flood light in the

backyard to validate its authenticity.

BRIANA WHITNEY, HOST, CRIME JUNKIE PODCAST: I'm going to read you three more parts of this ransom note.

CARROLL (voice-over): Whitney says the note also indicated Guthrie would be held for a maximum of seven days, and went on to say, if the payment is not

received by the last deadline, she will be killed. Your mother is aware of this, and her life is in your hands.

You will not be able to contact me from here on out. There will be no negotiation. Do not play games. Law enforcement will not be able to help

you. Just last month, CNN reported on the contents of another note that the Guthrie received back in February. That note said Guthrie died shortly

after the kidnapping. That, according to law enforcement sources.

Whitney said the author also wrote, we never intended to hurt her, and that they were truly sorry. The last time the family reportedly saw Nancy

Guthrie was about 09:45 p.m. on January 31st. That's when a family member dropped her off at her Tucson home after dinner.

The 84-year-old was reported missing around noon the next day, when she didn't show up at a friend's house to watch a church service online. On

February 4th, the Guthrie family's first public plea.

GUTHRIE: On behalf of our family, we want to thank all of you for the prayers for our beloved mom, Nancy. We feel them, and we continue to

believe that she feels them too. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her, and you'll see.

CARROLL (voice-over): On February 10th, the FBI released doorbell camera footage showing what it described as a masked armed individual outside the

home the morning she disappeared. Still, authorities have not publicly identified a suspect or a motive in the investigation. Now, six months

later, another plea for closure.

GUTHRIE: I truly believe it is never too late to do the right thing. Help us bring this situation to an end.

CARROLL (voice-over): Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:55:00]

GOLODRYGA: Let's leave you with some good news. A heroic rescue at a California beach that was captured on video. It happened in Santa Cruz,

California, over the weekend. And here you see a boy who was swept away by powerful waves, being saved by a teenage lifeguard.

At one point, others tried to help but were knocked down by the strong surf. Finally, a second lifeguard was able to bring the boy safely onto the

beach. About two dozen rescues were reported in Santa Cruz on Saturday as massive swells pounded the shoreline. To think that lifeguard is only 16-

years-old. Bravo to him. All right, stay with CNN. I'll have more "One World" after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:00]

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