Trump, Zelensky hold one-on-one meeting at Vatican

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met privately on Saturday inside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, aiming to inject new momentum into stalled efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The two leaders, in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis, sat together in the marble-lined basilica without aides present, speaking for about 15 minutes. Photos released by Zelenskiy’s office show the pair leaning in closely during their conversation.

Zelenskiy described the meeting as potentially "historic," emphasizing that they discussed critical issues such as protecting civilians, securing an unconditional ceasefire, and establishing a lasting peace to prevent future conflict. "It was a very symbolic meeting that could become historic if we achieve joint results," Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram, thanking Trump for the discussion.

The White House called the meeting "very productive" as talks between Ukraine and Russia reach a pivotal stage.

Saturday’s encounter was the first between Trump and Zelenskiy since a tense meeting at the White House in February. Ukrainian officials had indicated that a second meeting between the two leaders might take place later the same day in Rome, but Trump’s plane departed without confirmation that a follow-up occurred.