Trump and Zelensky Hold Talks Inside St Peter’s Basilica Ahead of Pope Francis’ Funeral
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and former U.S. President Donald Trump met privately for 15 minutes inside St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Saturday, ahead of Pope Francis’ funeral. The White House described the meeting as “very productive,” while a Ukrainian spokesman confirmed a second meeting is planned for later in the day.
The encounter marks the first face-to-face discussion between the two leaders since a tense Oval Office exchange in February, where Trump criticized Zelensky for “gambling with World War Three” by resisting ceasefire proposals. The leaders were attending the high-profile funeral alongside global figures including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Prince William.
The meeting follows a statement by Trump on Friday claiming Russia and Ukraine are “very close to a deal,” citing recent talks in Moscow between his envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian officials described those talks as “very useful,” with discussions reportedly bringing positions closer on a potential ceasefire and broader geopolitical issues.
Zelensky, while firm in his opposition to territorial concessions—especially regarding Crimea—has recently signaled conditional openness to a ceasefire, telling the BBC that such a move “opens up the possibility to discuss everything.”
Photos released by Zelensky’s office show the two leaders speaking inside the basilica, and engaging in a brief exchange with Starmer and Macron.