Trump, Zelensky meet on sidelines of Pope’s funeral

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky met briefly in the hush of St Peter's Basilica on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral yesterday in their first encounter since a noisy White House clash, as the US president pushes the Ukrainian leader to make a peace deal with Russia.

Zelensky said they discussed a possible unconditional ceasefire with Russia and were "hoping for results" from a "very symbolic meeting that has the potential to become historic".

The war cast a shadow over preparations for Francis's funeral, and even as it took place, Russia claimed its forces had "fully liberated" the border Kursk region.

Ukraine, however, insisted that its army was still fighting in Kursk, Russian territory, which it hopes to use as a bargaining chip in any future peace talks.

The Ukrainian presidency released photos of the Trump and Zelensky sitting face to face, leaning forward in deep discussion in a corner of the basilica, as the pope's simple wooden coffin lay in front of the altar before the funeral began.

"Good meeting. One-on-one, we managed to discuss a lot… It was a very symbolic meeting that has the potential to become historic if we achieve joint results. Thank you, President Donald Trump!"

— President Zelensky

"We discussed a lot one-on-one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting the lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out," Zelensky wrote on X.

An aide to Zelensky 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.

But the two leaders also briefly huddled inside the basilica with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, the French president's hand on Zelensky's shoulder.

Trump, while calling on President Vladimir Putin to stop Russia's attacks on Ukraine, has recently blamed Zelensky for the war and the continuing bloodshed.

However, Trump yesterday criticised Putin for attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine in recent days, and said, "maybe he doesn't want to stop the war."

In a post on Truth Social after his talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome, Trump also said maybe Putin "has to be dealt with differently," possibly through additional sanctions targeting Moscow.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering a conflict not seen in Europe for decades.

Trump has pushed Zelensky to accept previously unpalatable concessions such as acknowledging that Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014, will remain in Russian hands under any deal to stop the conflict.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin yesterday said, during his talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is ready to hold peace talks with Ukraine "without preconditions".

"During yesterday's talks with Trump's envoy Witkoff, Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia is ready to resume negotiations with Ukraine without any preconditions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Putin has stated that several times in the past.

But Zelensky again 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.

An increasingly frustrated Trump last week threatened to walk away from peace efforts if he does not see progress towards a ceasefire.

The US president, accompanied by his wife Melania, was making the first foreign trip of his second term.

The trip also came after he rattled European allies by imposing sweeping tariffs, although he at least temporarily has backed down from the most severe measures.

The US president shook hands with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. The two have agreed to meet, a European Union spokesperson said.

Other leaders also swarmed Trump after he arrived.