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Zelensky and Trump hold 'very productive' talks at Vatican Zelensky and Trump hold 'very productive' talks at Vatican
(30 minutes later)
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky meet before Pope Francis's funeralDonald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky meet before Pope Francis's funeral
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump have met inside St Peter's Basilica ahead of Pope Francis's funeral. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump met at the Vatican ahead of Pope Francis's funeral - their first face-to-face encounter since February's acrimonious Oval Office showdown.
The White House described the 15-minute meeting as "very productive" and Zelensky later called it "very symbolic" with the "potential to become historic". The pair were pictured locked in deep discussion, minutes before the late pontiff's funeral was due to start.
Trump and Zelensky were pictured sitting locked in deep discussion, minutes before the late pontiff's funeral was due to start. The White House described the 15-minute meeting in St Peter's Basilica as "very productive" and Zelensky later called it "very symbolic" with the "potential to become historic".
The meeting came a day after Trump said Russia and Ukraine were "very close to a deal", following talks between his envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday. After leaving Rome later in the day, Trump took aim at Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioning his willingness to end the war after Moscow's strikes on Kyiv earlier this week.
Live updates: World leaders in Rome for Pope's funeralLive updates: World leaders in Rome for Pope's funeral
Pope Francis' funeral is chance for 'brush-by' diplomacyPope Francis' funeral is chance for 'brush-by' diplomacy
Posting an image of Zelensky sitting with Trump, the Ukrainian leader's head of office Andriy Yermak added a single word, "constructive". Posting on his social media account, Trump said there was "no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas", adding: "It makes me think that maybe he [Putin] doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?'"
The two leaders had not seen each other face-to-face since their tempestuous Oval Office meeting at the end of February, when Trump told Zelensky "you don't have the cards" and he was not winning against Russia. He had previously said Russia and Ukraine were "very close to a deal" following Friday's talks between his envoy Steve Witkoff and the Russian president.
He repeated that message this week, saying the Ukrainian leader had "no cards to play". The Kremlin meanwhile said on Saturday that Putin had confirmed to Witkoff Russia's readiness to enter into direct talks with Ukraine "without preconditions".
Trump has previously blamed Ukraine for starting the war and has accused Zelensky multiple times of being an obstacle to peace negotiations. Trump and Zelensky's sit down in Rome was the first time the leaders had come face-to-face since their White House meeting at the end of February, when Trump told Zelensky "you don't have the cards" and he was not winning against Russia.
But posting from his Truth social account after leaving Rome, Trump took aim at the Russian president saying there was "no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas", in reference to Russian strikes on Kyiv earlier this week. He repeated that message this week, saying the Ukrainian leader had "no cards to play". Trump has previously blamed Ukraine for starting the war and has accused Zelensky multiple times of being an obstacle to peace negotiations.
Trump added: "It makes me think that maybe he [Putin] doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?'" But the White House struck a more positive tone about Saturday's meeting, while Zelensky described the sit down as a "very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results".
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had confirmed Russia's readiness to enter into direct talks with Ukraine "without preconditions" in a meeting with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday. Two images were released of the meeting, showing the US leader in a blue suit and Ukrainian president in a black top and trousers, sitting opposite each other in intense conversation.
Putin aide Yuri Ushakov had described Witkoff's fourth visit to Russia this year as "very useful" and that it had brought "Russian and US positions closer together, not just on Ukraine but also on a range of other international issues". Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also posted an image of the meeting on X with the caption: "No words are needed to describe the importance of this historic meeting. Two leaders working for peace in St. Peter's Basilica."
In Rome, two images were released of Zelensky and Trump's one-on-one meeting ahead of the Pope's funeral.
The US leader was pictured in a blue suit while Ukraine's president wore a black top and trousers. The two men are seen sitting opposite each other having an intense conversation and holding serious expressions.
Zelensky described the sit down as a "very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results".
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also posted the image on X with the caption: "No words are needed to describe the importance of this historic meeting. Two leaders working for peace in St. Peter's Basilica."
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron speak with Trump and Zelensky in the BasilicaUK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron speak with Trump and Zelensky in the Basilica
Another image posted by the Ukrainian delegation from inside St Peter's showed the two men standing alongside British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and France's Emmanuel Macron, his hand on Zelensky's shoulder.Another image posted by the Ukrainian delegation from inside St Peter's showed the two men standing alongside British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and France's Emmanuel Macron, his hand on Zelensky's shoulder.
The implication was that the prime minister and French president had helped to bring the two together, against the sombre backdrop of the funeral.The implication was that the prime minister and French president had helped to bring the two together, against the sombre backdrop of the funeral.
After the meeting, Trump and Zelensky then walked down the steps of the basilica, where Zelensky's arrival was met with applause from the crowds, and took their seats in the front row.After the meeting, Trump and Zelensky then walked down the steps of the basilica, where Zelensky's arrival was met with applause from the crowds, and took their seats in the front row.
During the service, the pair sat a short distance from each other, with Macron and other heads of state in between.During the service, the pair sat a short distance from each other, with Macron and other heads of state in between.
In his homily, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re spoke of Pope Francis's incessant calls for peace. "'Build bridges, not walls' was an exhortation he repeated many times," said the cardinal.In his homily, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re spoke of Pope Francis's incessant calls for peace. "'Build bridges, not walls' was an exhortation he repeated many times," said the cardinal.
Ukrainian officials had talked of a possible second meeting but Trump's motorcade drove away from St Peter's immediately afterwards and his plane left Rome a short time later.Ukrainian officials had talked of a possible second meeting but Trump's motorcade drove away from St Peter's immediately afterwards and his plane left Rome a short time later.
Zelensky however was pictured holding separate meetings with Macron and Sir Keir after the funeral, and he is also reportedly set to meet with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Zelensky however later met Macron in the garden of Villa Bonaparte, home to the French embassy to the Holy See, and Sir Keir at Zelensky and Starmer together too at Villa Wolkonsky, the British ambassador's residence. He also met EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
In a post on X, Macron said ending the war in Ukraine was an objective that "we share in common with President Trump", adding that Ukraine was ready for "an unconditional ceasefire".In a post on X, Macron said ending the war in Ukraine was an objective that "we share in common with President Trump", adding that Ukraine was ready for "an unconditional ceasefire".
A Downing Street spokesperson said Starmer and Zelensky discussed the positive progress that had been made recently to "secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine," adding that the pair had agreed to "maintain momentum" and "speak again at the earliest opportunity".A Downing Street spokesperson said Starmer and Zelensky discussed the positive progress that had been made recently to "secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine," adding that the pair had agreed to "maintain momentum" and "speak again at the earliest opportunity".
During February's heated White House exchange, Trump accused the Ukrainian president of "gambling with World War Three" by not going along with ceasefire plans led by Washington.During February's heated White House exchange, Trump accused the Ukrainian president of "gambling with World War Three" by not going along with ceasefire plans led by Washington.
Kyiv has been on the receiving end of growing pressure from Trump to accept territorial concessions as part of an agreement with Moscow to end the war.Kyiv has been on the receiving end of growing pressure from Trump to accept territorial concessions as part of an agreement with Moscow to end the war.
These concessions would reportedly include giving up large portions of land, including the Crimean peninsula which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.These concessions would reportedly include giving up large portions of land, including the Crimean peninsula which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
Zelensky has repeatedly rejected the idea in the past. He suggested to the BBC on Friday that "a full and unconditional ceasefire opens up the possibility to discuss everything".Zelensky has repeatedly rejected the idea in the past. He suggested to the BBC on Friday that "a full and unconditional ceasefire opens up the possibility to discuss everything".