Pope Francis' Funeral: President Trump, Zelensky, Macron, and Starmer in Dialogue on Resolving the Ukraine Conflict

Pope Francis' Funeral: President Trump, Zelensky, Macron, and Starmer in Dialogue on Resolving the Ukraine Conflict

Vatican City, April 26: Reuters Report

Ahead of Pope Francis' funeral, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met for a brief but significant meeting in Rome. The White House described the meeting as "extremely constructive."

The meeting took place in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica and lasted for approximately 15 minutes. The Ukrainian President’s office stated that the two leaders are expected to hold another meeting within the next day, with both countries' diplomatic teams preparing for it.

This was the first meeting between Trump and Zelensky since their heated Oval Office encounter in Washington in February. The discussions on a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war have reached a critical stage, making this face-to-face meeting particularly significant.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheng stated, “President Trump and President Zelensky met in person today, and the meeting was very productive.”

Zelensky’s Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak, described the meeting as “constructive” on social media. Photos released by the Ukrainian President’s office show the two leaders sitting across from each other in a marble-floored room. Another image shows Trump, Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer talking together in a huddle, with Macron standing with his hand on Zelensky’s shoulder.

Trump has called for a swift ceasefire to end the Russia-Ukraine war, stating that if both sides fail to reach an agreement, he would withdraw U.S. efforts.

However, there are clear disagreements in the peace talks. The Trump administration has proposed recognizing Crimea as part of Russia, a suggestion strongly rejected by Ukraine and European allies. There are also differences over the timing of lifting sanctions on Russia, security guarantees for Ukraine, and financial compensation.

Notably, Zelensky was seen wearing military attire again on Saturday, as he has done regularly since the Russian invasion, symbolizing his solidarity with the country’s soldiers.