Trump and Zelenskyy Meet Inside Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica
Addis Ababa, April 26, 2023 — US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have convened at St. Peter's Basilica prior to the funeral of Pope Francis.
The White House characterized the 15-minute discussion as "highly fruitful," while Zelenskyy subsequently referred to it as "quite symbolic" with "the potential to be remembered historically."
Trump and Zelenskyy were seen engaged in intense conversation just moments prior to the commencement of Pope Francis' funeral.
The meeting took place one day after Trump stated that Russia and Ukraine were “very near reaching an agreement,” following discussions between his representative Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday.
President Trump and President Zelenskyy held a private meeting today and engaged in a highly fruitful conversation.
"Further information regarding the meeting will be provided subsequently," stated Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, on Saturday.
The head of Zelenskyy’s office, Andriy Yermak, characterized the 15-minute discussion as "productive," though he didn’t provide further information.
The two heads of state traveled to Rome for Pope Francis's funeral. This encounter occurs as negotiations aimed at resolving the Ukraine-Russia dispute encounter growing obstacles.