Cliff Notes
- Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy have met prior to Pope Francis’s funeral, with plans for further discussions afterwards.
- The meeting follows recent talks between Trump’s peace negotiator and Vladimir Putin regarding a potential resumption of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
- Trump has asserted that a peace deal is “very close” and has encouraged Zelenskyy to expedite the process.
Trump met with Zelenskyy ahead of Pope’s funeral
Donald Trump has met Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the Pope’s funeral, according to Vatican sources.
The US and Ukrainian presidents have also agreed to hold further talks after the service.
They are among world leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, who are attending the funeral of Pope Francis.
There was applause from some of those gathered in St Peter’s Square when the Ukrainian leader walked out.
The bilateral meeting comes after Mr Trump’s peace negotiator Steve Witkoff held talks with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.
They discussed “the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine”, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.
Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks since the early weeks of the war, which began in February 2022.
Mr Trump has claimed a deal to end the war is “very close” and has urged Mr Zelenskyy to “get it done” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.