U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, held a “productive” conversation on Saturday at St. Peter’s Basilica, shortly before Pope Francis’ funeral, amid growing pressure from Washington to secure a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Images released by the Ukrainian presidency show the two leaders engaged in close conversation in the solemn setting of the majestic basilica, seated face-to-face on two chairs placed inside the grand structure. According to a White House spokesperson, the meeting was private and “very productive,” while Zelensky’s office reported that the encounter lasted about 15 minutes, with plans to resume talks later the same day.
This meeting marks the first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Zelensky since their unprecedented shouting match at the White House in February, during which the U.S. president, alongside Vice President J.D. Vance, harshly criticized the Ukrainian leader for what he perceived as insufficient gratitude for American military support. That episode ended with Zelensky being abruptly ushered out of the Oval Office.
The latest meeting comes as the Trump administration intensifies its diplomatic push to secure a peace agreement. Upon arriving in Rome, Trump stated that Russia and Ukraine were “very close” to reaching a deal, after his chief envoy, Steve Witkoff, held a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. Moscow described the talks as “constructive and very useful.”
Since the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Kyiv and Moscow have not engaged in direct negotiations. However, Washington is pressing to speed up diplomacy, hoping to achieve tangible results within days, mindful that Trump’s self-imposed 100-day deadline to end the conflict is rapidly approaching.
According to CNN, current negotiations center around two diverging proposals: one led by Ukraine and its European allies, and another backed by the Trump administration. Diplomatic sources indicate that the European plan envisions a ceasefire followed by territorial negotiations, with Kyiv receiving NATO-style security guarantees.
In contrast, Trump’s plan — according to a European official familiar with the draft proposals — would include U.S. recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, strong security guarantees for Ukraine, a pledge that Kyiv would not join NATO, and the lifting of sanctions against Moscow.
Recognizing Russian control over Crimea — the Ukrainian peninsula illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014 — remains a major red line for Ukraine and its European allies. This week, Zelensky reiterated his firm rejection of any settlement involving Crimea, stressing that Ukraine’s constitution prohibits such concessions.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has stepped up pressure on Kyiv, warning that it could pull out of negotiations “within days” if no meaningful progress toward an agreement is made.
