Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky sat down for an intimate face-to-face meeting in the Vatican this morning before the Pope’s funeral.
The two world leaders could be seen seated just a few feet from one another on small but ornate chairs ahead of the Pontiff’s send-off this morning during what the White House has said was a “productive” meeting. The two had sat down inside St Peter’s Basilica, where the Pope‘s body was resting until the funeral began at 10am local time (9am BST) today. Presidents Trump and Zelensky had a “very productive discussion” during their short 15-minute encounter, the White House said.
The meeting was organised for after the two had paid their respects to Pope Francis I, Rai TV Italia reported. Representatives for President Zelensky said the two are set to meet again later this afternoon for a more in depth discussion as the US anticipates an incoming peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer later joined them, with the quartet participating in a lively discussion before taking their seats on the steps of St Peter’s Basilica.
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky is their first in-person since their explosive fallout in the White House this February, when the Commander-in-Chief and Vice President JD Vance publicly berated the wartime leader after accusing him of not saying “thank you” for US support.
Their meet descended into a shouting match after the Ukrainian premier was mocked for not wearing a suit. While they met today and may do so again later, it appears the White House still holds animosity against Kyiv, with Trump saying earlier this week that Zelensky has “no cards to play” in a peace deal with Russia.
He said so while attempting to negotiate a “final offer” peace deal between Russia and Ukraine in which the US has demanded his country offer massive territorial concessions to Vladimir Putin – effectively rewarding the Russian despot for his years-long bloody invasion that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.
Zelensky has so far turned down the terms of the controversial would-be deal, telling reporters on Wednesday: “Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There is nothing to talk about. It is against our constitution.”
The US has so far characterised peace negotiations as productive, although the latest round has taken place between just US and Russian representatives in Moscow. Trump hailed a “good day” of meetings between Russian envoys and Steve Witkoff, the American representative, on Friday, claiming “most of the major points [of a deal] are agreed to”.
He urged Russia and Ukraine to meet “at very high levels” and “to finish it [the deal] off”.
Get email updates with the day’s biggest stories