US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met briefly in the hush of St Peter’s Basilica on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral yesterday in their first face-to-face since their Oval Office clash in February, as the US president pushes the Ukrainian leader to make a peace deal with Russia.
Zelenskiy said they discussed a possible unconditional ceasefire with Russia and are “hoping for results” from a “very symbolic meeting that has the potential to become historic.”
The war cast a shadow over preparations for Francis’ funeral, and even as it took place, Russia claimed its forces had “fully liberated” the border Kursk region.
Photo: AP
However, Ukraine said that its army was still fighting in Kursk, Russian territory, which it hopes to use as a bargaining chip in peace talks.
An aide to Zelenskiy described the meeting as “constructive,” and the White House called it “a very productive discussion.”
However, the US president flew out of Rome as scheduled, immediately after the funeral mass, and there were no further talks.
The two leaders also briefly huddled inside the basilica with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, with the latter’s hand on Zelenskiy’s shoulder. Macron’s office described the exchanges between the four leaders as “positive,” and he later met Zelenskiy one-on-one.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday.
The Kremlin said the pair discussed the possibility of “direct” talks between Russia and Ukraine.
However, Zelenskiy has rejected suggestions that Ukraine give up Crimea. Witkoff’s meeting with Putin came just after a top Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack outside Moscow.
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