Rome, Italy – April 26, 2025 – In a stunning and unexpected moment on a solemn stage, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met briefly on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral in Vatican City, their first encounter since a bitter Oval Office clash that made global headlines.
The brief exchange, confirmed by both U.S. and Ukrainian officials, took place before the funeral service began at St. Peter’s Basilica. Though both leaders sat in the front row, they were separated by more than a dozen dignitaries, and no public interaction was captured by cameras.
US Very Productive, Says Trump Team
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung described the meeting as “very productive,” though no official details were immediately released. On the Ukrainian side, presidential spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov confirmed the meeting had happened but offered no further comment.
This encounter comes amid rising global pressure on both sides to move toward a peace agreement, even as tensions remain high behind closed doors.
Peace Push or Power Play?
President Trump has increasingly pushed Zelensky to strike a peace deal with Russia, calling the current war “unwinnable” and blaming Zelensky for prolonging the bloodshed. In a recent Truth Social post, Trump claimed Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal” and urged both sides to “finish it off.”
However, Trump’s proposal includes controversial conditions, such as ceding Crimea to Russia, which Zelensky has repeatedly rejected. For Ukraine, the territory remains non-negotiable.
Trump, while publicly urging Putin to halt aggression, has also shifted blame toward Kyiv, calling Zelensky “ungrateful” for the billions in U.S. military aid since Russia’s 2022 invasion.
A Funeral Full of Diplomacy
Trump’s visit to Rome marked his first foreign trip since beginning his second term. Though the primary reason was to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, the occasion became a hotspot for global diplomacy.
More than 50 world leaders, including 10 monarchs and Prince William of the UK, were present. Trump greeted French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. However, he pointedly avoided his predecessor, Joe Biden, who sat five rows behind him.
Vatican images showed Trump and First Lady Melania, dressed in traditional black funeral attire, pausing by the Pope’s coffin before taking their seats.
Still, Trump emphasized that any meetings during the funeral would be brief.
“Frankly, it’s a little disrespectful to have meetings when you’re at the funeral of the pope,” he said before the trip.
Trump’s Frustration Boils Over
Frustrated by the slow pace of progress, Trump recently warned he could pull back from peace efforts unless talks advance. His campaign trail promises to end the Ukraine war “within 24 hours” have drawn criticism and skepticism, even as he claimed this week the remark was “in jest.”
Zelensky, meanwhile, has held firm. Ukraine continues to reject any territorial concessions and demands full sovereignty before any formal peace is considered.
While the funeral brought world leaders together in mourning, it also laid bare the deep rifts shaping modern geopolitics.
