The two leaders came face-to-face for the first time since their heated confrontation at the White House in February.
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Rome today (April 26), just hours before the funeral of Pope Francis, and reportedly engaged in a “highly constructive” conversation.
Their meeting marks a potential turning point in U.S.–Ukraine relations, which have been strained in recent months due to rising tensions surrounding the conflict with Russia.
Back in February, the pair clashed during a contentious meeting in Washington, leading Trump to temporarily halt military assistance to Ukraine. Although the aid was later restored, the diplomatic damage had already been done.
Tensions continued to simmer earlier this week when Trump openly criticized Zelenskyy, accusing him of hindering peace efforts and dragging out the war.
Despite these public disputes, the leaders appear to be mending fences. The informal sit-down took place within Saint Peter’s Basilica, suggesting it was arranged spontaneously just before the late pontiff’s funeral service.
It was their first in-person interaction since the Oval Office dispute eight weeks ago.
Andriy Yermak, who serves as Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, shared a photo of the moment online. The image showed both leaders seated in a seemingly deep conversation, hinting at a more amicable exchange. He captioned the post simply with “Structurally,” along with flag and handshake emojis, reflecting a tone of cautious optimism.
According to a White House source speaking to Sky News, the discussion was described as “very productive,” with both sides agreeing to continue talks after the funeral of the 88-year-old pope, who passed away on Easter Monday.
Before departing for Italy, Trump had praised Pope Francis, calling him “a genuinely kind man who cared about the world,” but his comments soon shifted to the political opportunities the funeral might present.
Speaking to MSNBC, Trump remarked, “This will be a major gathering of global leaders. We’re going to have a lot of discussions—trade deals are progressing, the Russia-Ukraine situation is delicate but moving forward, and there are developments with Iran as well.”
While many criticized the blending of politics with a solemn religious event, former UK ambassador to Russia, Sir Tony Brenton, told Sky News the occasion was too significant to ignore. He said the gathering offered a rare and valuable chance for high-level diplomacy, especially regarding potential peace agreements.
Trump also drew attention at the funeral for his outfit choice, once again shifting focus away from the service itself.