Zelensky and Trump hold a meeting inside St. Peter’s Basilica prior to Pope Francis' funeral at the Vatican on Saturday, according to the Ukrainian Presidency.
CNN — U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held urgent wartime discussions at the Vatican, just minutes before Pope Francis’ funeral began on Saturday, as the White House intensifies efforts to broker a peace agreement in Ukraine.
Photos shared by the Ukrainian presidency captured the two leaders deep in conversation without any aides, set against the ornate backdrop of St. Peter’s Basilica.
A White House spokesperson traveling with Trump described the meeting as “private and highly productive.” Officials from both Trump’s and Zelensky’s teams confirmed the talks lasted approximately 15 minutes, with plans to continue discussions, possibly later in the day.
This marked the first in-person meeting between Trump and Zelensky since a tense White House encounter in February, during which Trump and other U.S. officials harshly criticized Zelensky for a perceived lack of gratitude toward American support, leading to a temporary halt in arms shipments and intelligence cooperation.
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined Trump and Zelensky for talks inside St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday before the funeral, according to the Ukrainian Presidency.
How the Pope’s Funeral Provided a Platform for Trump-Zelensky Talks
The meeting took place just outside the Baptistry Chapel, near the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica, with no prior indication that such discussions would occur.
Before the president’s brief visit to Rome, officials had downplayed any possibility of a meeting with Zelensky or other world leaders, citing the short duration of the trip and its primary focus on memorializing the late Pope.
Trump had initially planned to visit Saudi Arabia as the first stop of his term, a visit now rescheduled for next month. However, following the Pope’s passing, Trump altered his itinerary and made Europe his first foreign destination—despite his past criticisms of the continent.
The seating arrangements and crowded presence of global leaders facilitated brief encounters, including with figures Trump had seemingly avoided since his return to office, such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, with whom he hadn’t interacted amid trade and defense disagreements with the EU.
The seating protocol, arranged alphabetically in French, placed Trump next to the leaders of Estonia and Finland, with whom he exchanged brief pleasantries.
Trump also interacted with other leaders involved in efforts to resolve the Ukraine war, including French President Emmanuel Macron, with whom he shared a handshake during the funeral mass.
U.S. Involvement in Peace Talks
The U.S. has increased its pressure on Ukraine after warning last week that it could withdraw from talks “within days” if a deal remains elusive.
Trump stated on Friday that Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal” that could end the conflict, which began in 2014 and escalated with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
“A productive day of talks with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and both sides should now meet at high levels to finalize it,” Trump posted on Truth Social after arriving in Rome for the Pope’s funeral.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for three hours on Friday. According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, the talks were “constructive and very useful.”
Before leaving Kyiv for Rome on Friday, Zelensky signaled possible compromises to push peace talks forward.
“Very significant meetings may take place in the coming days—meetings that could bring us closer to peace,” Zelensky said.
“We are ready for dialogue, I emphasize again, in any format with anyone,” he added, though “only after receiving a real signal that Russia is ready to end the war,” referring to a complete and unconditional ceasefire.
“Ukraine Deal Framework” Faces Obstacles
Zelensky also highlighted “constructive” proposals developed this week in London by Ukrainian and European officials, which have been dubbed the “Ukraine Deal Framework.” The draft proposes a full and unconditional ceasefire, monitored by the U.S. and other countries.
While the draft includes security guarantees for Ukraine, it states there is no consensus on NATO membership. It envisions an “ad hoc group” of European and willing non-European nations acting as guarantors for Ukraine’s security, with no restrictions on foreign forces or weapons on Ukrainian soil.
The framework suggests negotiations on territorial disputes would begin after the ceasefire, with Ukraine regaining control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant currently under Russian occupation.
However, the proposal also includes a controversial clause regarding Russian compensation for damages to Ukraine, which may face opposition from Moscow. Notably, the draft avoids directly addressing Crimea, though Trump’s plan included recognition of Crimea as part of Russia—something Zelensky rejected outright, citing Ukraine’s constitution.
Zelensky also disagreed with Trump’s stance that Ukraine lacks the military capability to retake Crimea by force, but acknowledged that international sanctions and economic pressure could be used as leverage.
CNN has reported that Trump has expressed frustration with the slow progress of talks, admitting privately that mediating a deal has proven more difficult than he expected.
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