On April 26, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a brief meeting in Rome ahead of the funeral ceremony for Pope Francis. The meeting was confirmed by Serhii Nykyforov, spokesperson for the Ukrainian president.
This marked the first direct encounter between the two leaders following a tense visit by Zelensky to the White House in February, which ended in controversy and a temporary suspension of U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
While the exact details of their conversation remain undisclosed, the meeting took place against the backdrop of ongoing U.S. efforts to advance a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow. President Trump has repeatedly called for high-level negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, suggesting that both sides are nearing a possible settlement.
Sources indicate that Zelensky may have used the opportunity to present Trump with Ukraine’s latest proposals for conflict resolution.
Further discussions between the two leaders are expected to continue in a broader format following the funeral events in Rome.
