Zelensky hails ‘potentially historic’ meeting with Trump ahead of Pope Francis’s funeral

Leaders hold 15-minute ‘constructive discussion’ in Rome

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky met briefly on Saturday before the funeral for Pope Francis as the US leader steps up the pressure to end Russia's war against Ukraine.

The White House said their discussion was "very productive" and that more details would be released later. The meeting lasted about 15 minutes inside St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican just before they took their seats for the outdoor funeral service.

The Ukrainian president described the meeting as potentially historic after the pair discussed the future of Ukraine.

Posting to X, Mr Zelensky hailed a “good meeting” with Mr Trump, adding: “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.”

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome on Saturday (Ukrainian Foreign Ministry)

The meeting was the first time the two leaders have met face-to-face since their disastrous Oval Office meeting in February.

Sir Keir Starmer also met with Mr Zelensky on Saturday afternoon in Rome, with a Downing Street spokesperson saying the pair discussed "positive progress made in recent days to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine".

They agreed to "maintain momentum and continue working intensively with international partners to drive forward the next stages of planning", the official added.

It comes after Mr Trump said Russia and Ukraine are “very close” to a peace deal and should meet at a “very high level”, as his administration continues to push for Kyiv to give away territory.

The Trump administration is urging Mr Zelensky to sign up to a peace deal with Vladimir Putin which would see vast swathes of Ukrainian territory remain in Russian hands.

As he touched down in Rome, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that it had been “a good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine” after Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy who has been deeply involved in the negotiations, met Mr Putin in Moscow on Friday for peace talks.

Trump, Zelensky, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron in the Vatican on Saturday (Ukrainian Foreign Ministry)

“They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’ Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW,” Mr Trump wrote on his social media site.

In February, the Ukrainian president met with Mr Trump in the Oval Office – a meeting which descended into a row, ending with the Ukrainian president leaving without having signed a deal pivotal to securing US help in ending the war with Russia.

On Saturday, Mr Zelensky received a round of applause as he left St Peter’s Basilica, where he had paid his respects to Pope Francis in front of the pontiff’s coffin ahead of the funeral ceremony.

Mr Trump and his wife Melania were also among the leaders who filed past the Pope’s casket before the funeral.

Sir Keir and the Prince of Wales – who is attending on behalf of the King, a standard protocol on these occasions – did the same before joining the congregation in St Peter’s Square, estimated by the Vatican at 200,000, for the funeral mass.