## Trump Questions Putin’s Intentions Amidst Vatican Meeting with Zelenskyy
Just hours before Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, US President Donald Trump met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within the hallowed halls of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The encounter occurred amidst a flurry of world leaders converging for the solemn event and shortly after Trump questioned whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin genuinely desires a peace agreement.
This marked the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy since a contentious White House session last February, which saw US officials publicly express dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s perceived lack of gratitude for American support. This earlier confrontation led to a temporary suspension of arms shipments and intelligence sharing.
The Meeting Details
* Photographs released by the Ukrainian presidency depicted the two leaders engaged in an intimate discussion, shielded from their respective aides within the ornate setting of St. Peter’s Basilica.
* Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the “good meeting” on social media, noting they “discussed a lot one on one” and hoping for tangible results. He emphasized his focus on “protecting lives of our people,” securing a “full and unconditional ceasefire,” and establishing “reliable and lasting peace.”
* A White House spokesperson confirmed a “very productive discussion” lasting approximately 15 minutes, with both sides agreeing to continue negotiations.
Following the meeting, Trump, via Truth Social, raised concerns about Putin’s intentions, citing the recent devastating missile strikes on Ukrainian civilian areas and suggesting that Putin might be manipulating him. He proposed exploring new sanctions against Russia.
“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas… It makes me think he doesn’t want to stop the war.”
The unexpected meeting unfolded near the Baptistry Chapel within St. Peter’s Basilica, and had not been publicly announced beforehand. Officials initially downplayed the likelihood of such a high-profile encounter due to the truncated schedule and somber nature of the Pope’s funeral.
Diplomatic Maneuvering Amidst Global Gatherings
The seating arrangement at the funeral—determined alphabetically by country in French—placed Trump alongside the leaders of Estonia and Finland, with whom he briefly interacted. He also engaged briefly with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a relationship that has been strained since his return to office.
While the US continues to exert pressure on Ukraine to reach a settlement – even threatening potential withdrawal from negotiations if progress isn’t made – Trump expressed optimism about an imminent deal between Russia and Ukraine. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, reportedly spent three hours in talks with Putin on Friday.
Zelenskyy has signaled his willingness to engage in dialogue under any format, but insists it must follow a “real signal” that Russia is committed to ending the war through a complete and unconditional ceasefire. Direct negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow have been stalled since the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Potential Peace Framework & Contentious Proposals
Zelenskyy has also alluded to “constructive” proposals developed in London this week, detailed in a draft document titled “Ukraine Deal Framework.” Key components include:
- A full and unconditional ceasefire across all domains.
- US-led monitoring of the ceasefire, supported by third countries.
- Robust security guarantees for Ukraine, similar to NATO’s Article 5, without immediate NATO membership.
- The right for “friendly foreign forces” to operate within Ukraine’s territory.
- Negotiations on territorial disputes – beginning with current frontlines – after the ceasefire takes effect.
- Ukraine regaining control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The draft also proposes a financial compensation for Ukraine, potentially utilizing frozen Russian assets to cover damages.
Points of Contention:
* The document does not explicitly mention Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014. Witkoff reportedly suggested US recognition of Crimea as part of Russia—a proposal Zelenskyy emphatically rejected and deemed unconstitutional.
* Moscow is likely to oppose the inclusion of non-European countries in a group guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.
Meanwhile, Putin claimed that Russian forces had regained control of Kursk, a border region targeted by Ukrainian offensives last year—a claim refuted by Ukraine’s General Staff.
