Donald Trump described his recent meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican as a “moment of solace” during a difficult time for Ukraine
The visit to St. Peter's Basilica, which took place on April 26, became a significant step in diplomatic dialogues between the United States and Ukrainian authorities, and the words of the former U.S. president, spoken during an ABC News interview, garnered widespread attention in the informational space. According to Trump, during the meeting he expressed his concerns about the unprecedented human and humanitarian crisis unfolding due to the Russia-Ukraine war. He stated that in his conversation with Zelenskyy, they discussed the serious, very complex situation currently in Ukraine and around it. "This is not my war," he emphasized, "but I want to help resolve it, because around 5,000 young soldiers from both sides—Russians and Ukrainians—die each week in this war." In Trump's view, this means that the conflict has extensive human and humanitarian consequences that cannot be ignored. The U.S. president also highlighted the financial aspect of aid to Ukraine and Europe's role in supporting it. "We are spending enormous sums on this war, and Europe must contribute much more effort and funding because, without their participation, it is hard to imagine a quick resolution to the conflict," Trump said. He added that currently, the focus is not only on military assistance but also on mediation efforts and diplomatic settlement. Regarding the atmosphere of the meeting held at the Vatican, the former U.S. president called it "in a certain sense, a moment of solace," emphasizing the number of victims whose numbers continue to grow: "Many lives are being lost, and that saddens me greatly. The war takes the lives of civilians and military personnel and destroys the futures of hundreds of thousands of people. I am sincerely concerned about this." He noted that "the conversation was focused on compassion and finding ways to reduce human losses, as well as on the path to peace." Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized during a conversation with journalists that his meeting with Trump has the potential to become "historic." He underlined the importance of further diplomatic efforts and also stated that the procedure and tone of such a meeting could play a key role in shaping international support and understanding of the situation in Ukraine. At the White House, the meeting was warmly received. Officials noted that the discussion was "very productive," and the talks focused on the need to strengthen cooperation and support for Ukraine during this challenging time. The media actively report details of this diplomatic meeting, emphasizing the importance of its outcomes for future conflict resolution and for ongoing international dialogue regarding Ukraine's situation. Thus, the visit and meeting at the Vatican became not only a diplomatic step in the context of the global conflict but also a symbol of humanity, compassion, and the desire to find paths to peace, which begin with conversation.