Donald Trump Meets With Volodymyr Zelenskyy At Pope Francis’ Funeral | rssama.com

ROME (AP) — President Donald Trump said Saturday that he doubts Russia’s Vladimir Putin wants to extremity his warfare successful Ukraine, expressing caller skepticism that a bid woody tin beryllium reached soon. Only a time earlier, Trump had said Ukraine and Russia were “very adjacent to a deal.”

Trump said successful a societal media station arsenic he flew backmost to nan United States aft Pope Francis’ ceremonial that “there was nary logic for Putin to beryllium shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, complete nan past fewer days.” Trump hinted astatine further sanctions against Russia.

“It makes maine deliberation that possibly he doesn’t want to extremity nan war, he’s conscionable tapping maine along, and has to beryllium dealt pinch differently, done “Banking” aliases “Secondary Sanctions?” Too galore group are dying!!!” Trump wrote.

Trump earlier connected Saturday met concisely astatine nan Vatican pinch Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier nan pope’s funeral.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier communicative follows below.

It was nan first face-to-face brushwood betwixt Trump and nan Ukrainian leader since they based on during a heated Oval Office meeting astatine nan White House successful precocious February.

Zelenskyy’s agency had said teams were making arrangements for nan leaders to talk again Saturday, but Trump went straight to nan Rome airdrome aft nan ceremonial and boarded Air Force One for nan 10-hour formation backmost to nan United States, which seemed to norm retired a 2nd in-person conversation. Zelenskyy’s spokesperson, Serhii Nykyforov, said Trump and Zelenskyy did not meet again successful personification because of their tight schedules.

Zelenskyy said “good meeting” connected societal media aft nan funeral.

“We discussed a batch 1 connected one. Hoping for results connected everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting bid that will forestall different warfare from breaking out,” he said connected X. “Very symbolic gathering that has imaginable to go historic, if we execute associated results. Thank you.”

In this photograph provided by nan Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and President Donald Trump, talk arsenic they be nan ceremonial of Pope Francis successful Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025.(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

via Associated Press

The White House called nan chat “very productive” and said it would merchandise much specifications later. The gathering lasted astir 15 minutes wrong St. Peter’s Basilica astatine nan Vatican, wherever Francis often preached nan request for a serene extremity to nan war, conscionable earlier Trump and Zelenskyy took their seats astatine nan outdoor ceremonial service.

The Vatican agelong agone had offered to thief facilitate bid talks and Francis had regularly called for bid and speech from nan altar of nan basilica. That Trump and Zelenskyy said privately, look to look and hunched complete connected chairs connected nan marbled floors of nan pope’s home, connected nan time of his funeral, was possibly a fitting measurement to grant his wishes.

The gathering came together hours aft Trump said connected societal media, aft he arrived successful Italy precocious Friday, that Russia and Ukraine should meet for “very precocious level talks” connected ending nan three-year warfare that was sparked by Russia’s invasion.

Trump has pressed some sides to quickly travel to an statement to extremity nan war, but while Zelenskyy agreed to an American scheme for an first 30-day halt to hostilities, Russia has not signed connected and has continued to onslaught astatine targets wrong Ukraine.

The coffin of Pope Francis is carried successful beforehand of dignitaries, including President Donald Trump, center, and French President Emmanuel Macron, during his ceremonial successful St. Peter's Square astatine nan Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

via Associated Press

Last week’s hourslong rocket and drone barrage of Kyiv that killed astatine slightest 12 group led Trump to entreaty complete societal media for Russian President Vladimir Putin to extremity nan strikes connected Ukraine’s capital.

Trump’s typical envoy, Steve Witkoff, had met earlier connected Friday pinch Putin successful Moscow, and Trump said some sides were “very adjacent to a deal.”

Putin did not be Francis’ funeral. He faces an apprehension warrant issued by nan International Criminal Court, which has accused him of warfare crimes stemming from Moscow’s penetration of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, successful a connection Friday night, Zelenskyy said “very important meetings whitethorn return place” successful nan coming days, and that an unconditional ceasefire was needed.

“Real unit connected Russia is needed truthful that they judge either nan American connection to cease occurrence and move towards peace, aliases our connection — whichever 1 tin genuinely activity and guarantee a reliable, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire, and past — a honorable bid and information guarantees,” he said.

“Diplomacy must succeed. And we are doing everything to make diplomacy genuinely meaningful and yet effective.”

The gathering Saturday besides came soon aft Trump had issued his astir definitive connection to day astir nan request for Ukraine to springiness up territory to Russia to bring nan warfare to a close. He said successful a Time mag question and reply published Friday that “Crimea will enactment pinch Russia.”

Russia seized nan strategical peninsula on nan Black Sea successful confederate Ukraine successful 2014, years earlier nan full-scale penetration that began successful 2022. Zelenskyy wants to regain Crimea and different Ukrainian territory seized by Russia, but Trump considers that request to beryllium unrealistic.

Referring to Crimea during nan interview, which was conducted astatine nan White House connected Tuesday, Trump said, “everybody understands that it’s been pinch them for a agelong time,” meaning Russia.

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Associated Press journalists Nicole Winfield successful Vatican City and Volodymyr Yurchuk successful Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.