President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a “constructive” meeting early Saturday during Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, with the US attempting to mediate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
“President Trump and Zelensky had a direct meeting today and engaged in a very constructive dialogue,” White House communications director Stephen Chong disclosed on Saturday. “More details about the meeting are forthcoming.”
A Ukrainian representative shared an image, observing the two leaders with keen attention inside St. Peter’s Cathedral, where the funeral procession for Francis occurred late Saturday morning.
The meeting, which lasted nearly 15 minutes according to Ukrainian officials, stands in stark contrast to their last in-person meeting when Zelensky abruptly left a White House gathering following a heated exchange.
Other world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have also advocated for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflicts for over three years while continuing to financially support Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty. Ukrainian officials noted that Macron and Starmer briefly conferred with Zelensky on Saturday.
Earlier this week, Trump criticized Ukraine while hesitating to sign a proposed mineral agreement aimed at bolstering Kiev’s security amid its conflict with Russia and providing US access to Ukrainian rare earth resources.
“Ukraine, led by Volodymyr Zelensky, has not yet finalized a critical rare earth trade deal with the US. It’s at least three weeks behind schedule,” Trump remarked. He posted on True Social on Friday. “I hope it will be finalized soon. Efforts to establish an overall peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine are progressing. Success appears to be on the horizon!”
A memorandum of understanding has been executed between the two political entities from Zelensky, indicating that security assurances need to be established as negotiations with Russia proceed.
The president also indicated that Zelensky might need to concede Crimea, a territory annexed by Russia in 2014, to resolve the ongoing conflict in the region. Ukrainian leaders rejected this idea and expressed their disapproval towards the White House.
After responsibilities from the Trump administration, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a significant assault on Kiev. A drone strike hit the Ukrainian capital early Thursday, resulting in at least eight fatalities and numerous injuries.
Trump criticized Putin’s actions.
“I’m not pleased with Russia’s attack on Kiev,” Trump stated. He wrote on Thursday following the strike. “This was unwarranted, and the timing is very poor.”
He added, “Vladimir, cease this! 5,000 soldiers are perishing weekly. Let’s finalize the peace agreement!”
