Vatican meeting: Trump and Zelensky’s private talks amid Pope’s funeral aim for full ceasefire in Ukraine

In a stunning moment of high-stakes diplomacy, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held urgent war talks inside St. Peter’s Basilica, minutes before the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26. As the solemn ceremony loomed, the two leaders huddled alone within the Vatican’s historic walls, underscoring the White House’s growing desperation to broker a peace deal in Ukraine.

Photographs released by the Ukrainian presidency captured Trump and Zelensky in intense, aide-free discussions amid the Basilica’s ornate interiors. 

Zelensky later took to social media to thank Trump for a “good meeting,” writing, “We discussed a lot one on one. 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. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.”

A White House spokesman traveling with Trump described the conversation as “very productive,” confirming that the two leaders met privately. Both sides said the meeting, which lasted around 15 minutes, concluded with a mutual agreement to continue negotiations.

This was the first time Trump and Zelensky met face-to-face since their contentious White House summit in February. The impromptu meeting, unannounced beforehand, unfolded just outside the Baptistry Chapel near the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The US has intensified pressure on Ukraine in recent days, warning it might abandon peace efforts “within days” if progress stalls. Trump on April 25 signaled optimism, saying Russia and Ukraine are “very close to a deal” to end the war, which began with Russia’s 2014 aggression and escalated into full-scale invasion in 2022.

Saturday’s Vatican talks coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Moscow had retaken control of Kursk, a key border region Ukraine had seized during last year’s offensive.