Sat Apr 26 17:13:01 UTC 2025: ## Trump and Zelensky Hold Surprise Meeting Amid Pope’s Funeral, Peace Talks Uncertain

**Rome, Italy** – A surprise meeting between former US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took place at Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, marking their first encounter since a contentious White House meeting. The brief discussion, described as “constructive” by Zelensky’s aide and “productive” by the White House, focused on securing a full and unconditional ceasefire in the ongoing war with Russia.

Zelensky, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stated they discussed protecting Ukrainian lives and achieving lasting peace. However, Trump later expressed skepticism about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to peace, suggesting Putin may be stalling. In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned Putin’s motives, stating the continued missile attacks on civilian areas make him believe a different approach, possibly involving “banking” or “secondary sanctions,” is necessary.

The meeting, captured in images released by the Ukrainian presidency, showed Trump and Zelensky in deep conversation within St. Peter’s Basilica before the funeral mass. The encounter also included brief interactions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron. While both Macron’s office and the UK described their respective exchanges as positive, no further details were released regarding specific progress on peace negotiations.

Despite Trump’s calls for a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, the Kremlin announced on Saturday that Putin is ready to resume talks with Ukraine without preconditions, a statement that came after a top Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack outside Moscow. Trump himself has previously pushed Zelensky to concede territory, including Crimea, as a condition for peace. He also previously blamed Zelensky for the ongoing conflict.

The funeral itself was overshadowed by the ongoing war, with Russia claiming to have fully liberated the Kursk region near the Ukrainian border – a claim disputed by Ukraine. The war’s shadow also hung over Trump’s attendance at the funeral, where he interacted with numerous world leaders, including a brief handshake with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, but notably did not meet with his predecessor, Joe Biden. Trump’s attendance marked his first foreign trip of his second term, a trip that also saw him impose sweeping tariffs, causing tension with European allies. Despite the eventful day, Trump emphasized that any meetings held during the papal funeral were brief, stating that extended discussions would have been disrespectful. The future of peace negotiations remains uncertain.

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