ROME (AFP) — US President Donald Trump cast doubt on whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin wants a peace deal, shortly after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the hush of St. Peter's Basilica before Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday.
Zelenskyy said they had discussed a possible unconditional ceasefire with Russia and was "hoping for results" from a "very symbolic meeting that has the potential to become historic."
This was the two leaders' first meeting since a noisy White House clash in February, and after leaving Rome, Trump indicated a new approach to the Russian president.
"There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
"It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?' Too many people are dying!!!" The war cast a shadow over Francis' funeral. Even as it was taking place, Russia claimed its forces had "fully liberated" the border Kursk region.
Ukraine insisted however that its army was still fighting in Kursk, Russian territory it hopes to use as a bargaining chip in any future peace talks.
Trump and Zelenskyy sat face-to-face, leaning forward in deep discussion in a corner of the basilica, as the pope's wooden coffin lay in front of the altar before the funeral, according to images released by the Ukrainian presidency.
"We discussed a lot one on one," Zelenskyy wrote on X.
"Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out," he added.
An aide to Zelenskyy described the meeting as "constructive" and the White House called it "a very productive discussion." The US president flew out of Rome immediately after the funeral Mass and there were no further talks.
But the two leaders also briefly huddled inside the basilica with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron's office described the exchanges as "positive" and he later met Zelenskyy one-on-one. Britain said Starmer and Zelenskyy had "discussed positive progress made in recent days."
Zelenskyy also met Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
"Europe will always stand by Ukraine in the pursuit of peace," von der Leyen told him in a post on X afterward. "You can count on our support at the negotiating table to achieve a just and lasting peace." In St. Peter's Square, Trump rubbed shoulders with dozens of world leaders, many keen to discuss the tariffs he has unleashed. But it was the meeting with Zelenskyy that drew the most interest as the US leader pushes for a peace deal. Both sides had kept the prospects of a meeting vague ahead of the funeral with Trump saying only it was "possible."
Tensions had been high since Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, calling him ungrateful for the billions of dollars of US military assistance given since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Trump, while calling on Putin to stop Russia's attacks, has recently blamed Zelenskyy for the war and the continuing bloodshed.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering a conflict that has left tens of thousands dead.
Trump has pushed Zelenskyy to accept concessions such as acknowledging that Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014, will remain in Russian hands under any deal to stop the conflict.
After arriving in Rome, Trump said there had been progress in talks and pushed for the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to meet.
"They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to 'finish it off,'" he posted on his Truth Social platform.
"Most of the major points are agreed to," he said.
Putin on Friday discussed the "possibility" of direct talks with Ukraine in a meeting with Witkoff, according to a Kremlin aide.
He told Witkoff that Russia was ready to resume talks with Ukraine "without preconditions," the Kremlin added Saturday.
The Putin-Witkoff meeting came just after a top Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack outside Moscow.
Russia's FSB security services announced Saturday that a "Ukrainian special services agent" suspected of having planted the bomb had been arrested.
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