Zelenskyy & Trump Briefly Talk Peace in ‘Symbolic’ Vatican Meeting

(The Post News)- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump crossed paths in a surprise face-to-face meeting on Saturday, just minutes before the funeral of Pope Francis began at the Vatican. Their brief sit-down, held inside St. Peter’s Basilica, lasted around 15 minutes and marked their first encounter since a tense Oval Office meeting back in February.

Despite the short duration, both leaders described the meeting in optimistic terms. The White House labeled it “very productive,” while Zelenskyy called it “very symbolic” and said it “could become historic” if the two sides manage to achieve tangible results down the line.

The timing and setting of the meeting added to its weight. About 250,000 mourners, including 50 foreign dignitaries, had gathered in Rome to bid farewell to the late pontiff, who passed away earlier this week. The image of the two leaders in deep conversation just before the funeral mass stood out amid the solemnity of the event.

Though no major announcements followed the exchange, Zelenskyy hinted at the possibility of follow-up discussions. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also shared a photo of the meeting on social media platform X, stating that there are no words to explain the significance of this historic meeting—two leaders striving for peace at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Trump later turned his attention to Russian President Vladimir Putin, openly questioning his commitment to peace. Posting on his own social media page, Trump criticised recent Russian strikes on Kyiv. According to Trump, Putin’s actions makes him wonder if he is interested in establishing peace between Russia and Ukraine. He also suggested that Putin be dealt with through “Banking or secondary sanctions”.

These follow earlier posts from Trump suggesting Ukraine and Russia were nearing a deal after talks between his envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin. According to the Kremlin, Putin told Witkoff that Russia was ready to enter direct talks with Ukraine “without preconditions.”

Despite their Vatican exchange striking a more conciliatory tone, Trump hasn’t shifted from earlier criticisms of Zelenskyy. He repeated his stance this week, saying the Ukrainian president had “no cards to play” in the conflict with Russia.