Trump, Zelenskyy In Surprise Meeting At Vatican
President Donald Trump met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican ahead of Pope Francis’ funeral.
The two leaders engaged in what has been described as a “very productive discussion,” amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine,according to the White House.
Images released by Ukraine’s presidential administration show Trump and Zelenskyy sitting face-to-face inside the majestic St Peter’s Basilica.
They were joined briefly by UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, though the main conversation took place privately between the American and Ukrainian leaders.
The images portray a cordial atmosphere, in contrast with the tensions between the two leaders and public criticisms exchanged over the past week.
Trump had upon his arrival in Rome, publicly urged Ukraine and Russia to engage in “very high-level talks” to end the war that has devastated Ukraine for over four years.
Speaking on his Truth Social platform, Trump said both sides were “very close to a deal,” following a separate meeting between his envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier on Friday.
Tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy had escalated after Trump suggested in a public interview that Ukraine might need to “compromise” over Crimea, the peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
Zelenskyy rejected the idea, calling any concession on Crimea “completely unacceptable” and reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to restoring its territorial integrity.
Trump had also criticised and blamed Zelenskyy for prolonging the war with his strong stance.
Despite the disagreement, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung emphasised that the meeting between them was “productive.”
“They met privately today and had a very productive discussion. More details about the meeting will follow,” he stated.
Trump, Zelenskyy In Surprise Meeting At Vatican is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
