Topics: Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Pope Francis, Ukraine, Russia, Politics, World News
The funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City proved an occasion for US President Donald Trump and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet up and discuss a possible political agreement.
Trump and Zelenskyy attended the funeral proceedings of Pope Francis on Saturday (April 26) in Vatican City, alongside other international politicians and people gathered to pay their respects to the religious leader.
Prior to the funeral, Trump and Zelenskyy had a private meeting.
The meeting in Vatican City follows the US government's statement about Russia and Ukraine's own meeting, with the White House noting the two countries are 'very close to a deal' on ending the war raging in Ukraine.
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The US president said of the three-hour meeting that 'most of the major points are agreed to,' posting to his Truth Social platform, without giving any details. He then called for a high-level meeting between Kyiv and Moscow to close the deal.
For his part, Zelenskyy spoke of his most recent meet with the US president, explaining it was a 'good meeting' and that they 'discussed a lot one-on-one'.
Taking to Twitter to reflect on their meeting, Zelenskyy wrote: "Good meeting. 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. Thank you @POTUS."
After the meeting, the Ukraine President took to social media to share more of his thoughts.
"Hoping for results on everything we covered," Zelenskyy said in a Facebook social media post after the encounter. "Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out."
Zelenskyy called the talk a 'very symbolic meeting' saying that it 'has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results'.
Now the White House has responded and deemed the meeting 'very productive'.
Trump's comments about Ukraine and Russia being closer to reaching a deal were made despite Zelenskyy's repeated rejections of a proposal that Kyiv cede Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, to Moscow.
In an interview with Time published on Friday (April 25), Trump said that Crimea 'will stay with Russia'.
At the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral, Trump and Zelenskyy also met with France's president Emmanuel Macron and UK prime minister Keir Starmer in what has been described as a 'positive meeting' by the French presidency.
Meanwhile, social media users couldn't help but notice a difference in treatment between Trump and Zelenskyy while at the service.
Particularly, there has been a stark contrast in how Zelenskyy and Trump were greeted. The Ukraine President's arrival was met with a round of applause, while Trump, criticised for wearing a blue suit instead of customary black attire, didn't receive a similar warm welcome.
