Trump and Zelensky met one-on-one before Pope Francis’ funeral

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump met briefly today in Rome on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral, as diplomatic efforts intensify to secure a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. “The meeting took place and has already ended,” confirmed Zelensky’s spokesman, Serhiy Nikiforov, without providing further details.

Both leaders attended the funeral service at St. Peter’s Basilica, seated in the front row alongside other heads of state. Notably, President Trump and First Lady Melania were seated between two strong supporters of Ukraine: Estonia’s President Alar Karis and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb. Trump has a personal connection with Stubb, having recently played golf with him at Mar-a-Lago, where Stubb reportedly warned Trump about trusting Russian President Vladimir Putin.

As world leaders focused on the funeral ceremony, attention also turned to the diplomatic developments unfolding behind the scenes. According to White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung, the Trump-Zelensky meeting was described as a “very constructive conversation,” with more details promised soon.