Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump held a private meeting on Saturday in Rome, just ahead of attending the funeral of Pope Francis.
According to the Ukrainian presidency, the much-anticipated meeting concluded shortly before the funeral ceremony began at St. Peter’s Square. This marked the first in-person encounter between the two leaders since their tense Oval Office clash back in February.
At that time, Trump and Vice President JD Vance had openly criticized Zelensky, accusing him of not showing enough gratitude for the United States’ continued support during Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia.
Although both Zelensky and Trump were present at the front row of the funeral service, they were seated apart due to the Vatican’s use of French alphabetical order to arrange delegations. Nevertheless, the two leaders found time for a private conversation before the funeral.
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Following the meeting, President Zelensky shared a brief but hopeful message on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Good meeting. We discussed a lot one-on-one. Hoping for results on everything we covered.” He added, “A very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.”
The White House also released a statement through communications director Steven Cheung, describing the meeting between Trump and Zelensky as “very productive.” Discussions reportedly focused on pathways toward ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
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Trump, who has previously promised to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict within a day — a claim he later admitted to TIME magazine was an “exaggeration” — said that both sides are now “very close to a deal.” He emphasized the need for Ukraine and Russia to engage at the “highest levels” to bring the war to an end.
Despite calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt his attacks on Ukraine, Trump has placed significant blame on Zelensky for the ongoing conflict.
Nonetheless, Saturday’s meeting could signal a new chapter in the diplomatic dynamics between the two figures, especially with the backdrop of peace talks reportedly gaining momentum.
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