President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Saturday in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. This meeting came just before Pope Francis’ funeral, which was attended by leaders from around the world following his passing on Easter Monday.
The two leaders had not met face-to-face since February at the White House, where their discussions did not go well. At that time, Trump expressed that Zelensky was not ready for peace talks. However, this latest encounter lasted about 15 minutes and was reportedly more productive, with both sides expressing optimism for future discussions.
Zelensky shared on social media that he felt the meeting was positive. He thanked Trump and stated they covered a lot of important topics, including the need for a full ceasefire and a lasting peace to prevent future conflicts. He emphasized the significance of their meeting and the potential it holds for historic outcomes.
A spokesperson from the White House echoed this sentiment, describing the discussion as very productive. Trump, who had just arrived in Rome, mentioned that Russia and Ukraine were close to reaching a peace deal and urged their leaders to finalize it. He expressed hope that the major points of agreement would lead to an end to the ongoing violence.
In the lead-up to the meeting, Trump also highlighted the urgency for Ukraine to finalize a crucial mineral deal with the United States, which he noted was overdue. He conveyed confidence that progress was being made in the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, suggesting that success might be on the horizon.
As the world watches these developments, the meeting between Trump and Zelensky marks a significant moment in the ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.