The meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and former U
S. President Donald Trump at the Vatican became one of the most highly anticipated unofficial events that took place during Pope Francis's funeral. The American publication Axios, citing high-ranking sources, published a detailed account of this brief but quite substantive and tense conversation. The information appeared in current Ukrainian media through the “European Pravda” link, which later disseminated it based on Axios. According to the interlocutors, anonymous participants of this meeting, a few hours before the official event, the Ukrainian delegation received signals about a possible meeting with Trump. Although initially no formal arrangements were made, Ukrainian advisors expressed cautious optimism regarding a possible personal discussion between the two leaders. It was anticipated that the conversation would take place after Francis’s funeral ceremony; however, fate had other plans. According to sources, Zelensky and Trump unexpectedly ran into each other at the Vatican during the ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica and immediately found a moment for a private meeting. They discussed the situation around Ukraine, in particular sharing feelings of hopelessness in negotiations with Russia and trying to find ways to peace. One of the key moments of their conversation was the discussion of the Kremlin’s stance. Zelensky informed Trump that his conviction regarding Vladimir Putin is that without significant pressure from the U.S., the Russian president will not start to change his policies. In response, the former U.S. president reportedly remarked that perhaps he needed to reconsider his strategy concerning the Kremlin, which aligns with his public statements after this meeting. During the discussion, the Ukrainian leader also reiterated his position on the illegal annexation of Crimea — emphasizing that Ukraine does not recognize it as Russian territory. Trump, in turn, stressed that he is not requesting a change in this stance nor aimed to recognize Crimea as Russian. Zelensky added that Ukraine is ready for compromises but noted that key to ending the war are guarantees of security and support from international partners. Another important aspect was the topic of an unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine insisted on returning to the initial U.S. proposal — announcing a ceasefire without any preconditions — as a starting point for further negotiations. According to sources, Trump reportedly expressed his approval of this idea, although details of this remain subject to further discussion. Zelensky also emphasized that he is not afraid to make potentially irreversible concessions to establish peace but underlined that achieving stable results requires convincing security guarantees, which Ukraine currently lacks. Additionally, the conversation included discussions on economic and energy sectors, particularly the swift signing of an agreement on subsoil resources, which Trump seemingly attempted to influence by hinting at the importance and urgency of this process. The White House officially refrained from commenting on the details of the private conversation, citing a policy of not disclosing information of this kind. Similarly, Ukrainian officials and close associates of the president also declined to comment, although officials and experts confirmed that the meeting was productive and its content potentially a historic step in diplomatic relations. On the other hand, this informal contact opens a new chapter in high-level visits and negotiations, which could influence the development of events in the context of the war in Ukraine. On the same day, Trump expressed his critical stance on Russia’s new missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, doubted Vladimir Putin’s willingness to end the war, and threatened him with sanctions, thereby increasing diplomatic pressure. After the official part of the meeting, Trump once again called his conversation with Zelensky “wonderful” and expressed his intention to continue supporting Ukraine in countering Moscow’s aggression. This underscored his position regarding the war, which currently shapes the international political landscape. Analyzing this event, experts and political strategists assert that such informal meetings held in women’s or church halls are of great significance and could serve as catalysts for more open diplomacy and new opportunities on the diplomatic front.