ROME, Italy – A brief encounter between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome on Saturday has drawn significant attention, marking their first interaction since a tense White House meeting in February.
The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica, was confirmed by Zelensky’s spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov, who said the conversation was brief and concluded before the ceremony began.
“The meeting took place and is already over,” Nykyforov told journalists, though he did not provide further details.
The two leaders, accompanied by their wives, sat in the front row during the funeral service, separated by nearly a dozen world leaders.
While Zelensky glanced in Trump’s direction, no direct public exchange between the two occurred during the ceremony.
Tensions between Trump and Zelensky have been high since their contentious meeting in the White House in February 2025.
During that encounter, Trump, along with Vice President JD Vance, criticized Zelensky for what they described as ingratitude toward the billions of dollars in U.S. military aid provided to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022.
Trump has increasingly blamed Zelensky for prolonging the conflict and has urged him to accept compromises with Russia to bring an end to the war.
One of Trump’s key demands has been for Zelensky to acknowledge Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, as part of Russia’s territory in any potential peace agreement.
While Zelensky has steadfastly rejected these proposals, Trump has continued to push for what he calls a “swift resolution” to the war.
Despite these tensions, Trump used his visit to Rome to reiterate his belief that a peace deal could soon be reached.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that progress had been made in peace talks and that both Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal.”
He urged both sides to meet at the highest levels to “finish it off.”
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky occurred shortly after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Witkoff reportedly discussed the possibility of direct talks between Ukraine and Russia, but Zelensky rejected any suggestion that Ukraine relinquish control of Crimea.
Meanwhile, Putin, who has shown some openness to negotiations, mentioned the “possibility” of direct talks with Ukraine during his meeting with Witkoff.
This came just after a Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack outside Moscow, further complicating the diplomatic landscape.
Despite the ongoing peace efforts, Trump has expressed increasing frustration with the lack of progress.
Last week, he threatened to walk away from peace negotiations if tangible progress toward a ceasefire is not made soon.
“I promised to end this war within 24 hours if elected, but I was speaking in jest,” Trump clarified in an interview with Time magazine.
The situation remains fluid, and while Trump’s involvement may bring a new dynamic to the peace process, Zelensky’s refusal to concede any territory to Russia, particularly Crimea, continues to be a significant obstacle.
