Behind the Scenes of the Trump-Zelensky Meeting at the Vatican

Fifty-seven days after a fiery clash at the White House, Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly crossed paths again—this time inside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican during the funeral of Pope Francis.

Just before the service began on April 26, Trump and Zelensky sat face-to-face in their first direct meeting since their heated Oval Office exchange nearly two months earlier. "I thought he was calmer," Trump later told reporters at New Jersey airport on April 27. "I think he understands the situation and wants a deal."

Sources familiar with the matter say the 15-minute conversation was partially the result of circumstance. Although Trump had previously planned for his first overseas trip to be to the Middle East, he traveled instead to the Vatican to pay respects at Pope Francis’ funeral.

European officials had worked behind the scenes to facilitate a meeting between the two leaders, hoping it might rekindle stalled peace negotiations over Ukraine. Still, uncertainty loomed over whether the encounter would happen until moments before the funeral. Both U.S. and Ukrainian officials were careful not to raise public expectations in advance.

Upon Trump’s arrival in Rome on April 25, he expressed reluctance to schedule meetings out of respect for the solemn occasion. But the next day, Vatican officials quietly arranged for three chairs to be placed in a corner of St. Peter’s Basilica. Trump and Zelensky took two of the seats for a brief, private exchange—without aides or translators.

The third chair, initially meant for a translator, remained empty. Some had speculated that French President Emmanuel Macron might join, after greeting both leaders minutes earlier, but Macron exited to leave them space.

Zelensky, speaking in English, laid out Ukraine’s concerns while Trump leaned in attentively. According to Trump, Zelensky requested additional weapons and the two briefly discussed Crimea—the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, which Trump has suggested recognizing as Russian territory. Trump remained noncommittal. "I don't know how you even bring up Crimea anymore. It's been too long," he said.

Zelensky, by contrast, struck a conciliatory tone afterward, reflecting lessons learned from their contentious White House encounter in February. "The meeting could become historic if it leads to a shared result," Zelensky posted online, thanking Trump without mentioning any disagreements.

Observers described the photos of the two leaders sitting together as powerful, given their history of mistrust. "What he [Trump] was determined to do was talk directly with Zelensky about how to end the largest ground war in Europe," said National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who traveled with Trump’s delegation.

However, Trump’s early hopes of brokering a swift end to the Ukraine conflict are facing reality. He has privately admitted to aides that resolving the war is proving harder than expected.

After the Vatican meeting, Trump voiced "surprise and disappointment" that Russia had launched missile attacks on Kyiv amid peace efforts. "Maybe Putin is just playing me," he posted on Truth Social.

Speaking to reporters on April 27, Trump said of Russia’s leader, "I want him to stop the shooting, sit down, and sign the deal. I believe we have the framework. I want him to sign it and end this."

Some Trump advisers are growing frustrated, worried the administration is wasting time on a conflict showing few signs of de-escalation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that U.S. patience is wearing thin.

"Next week will be critical," Rubio said on April 27. "We must decide whether we stay engaged—or whether it’s time to focus on other equally or more important issues."

(Source: CNN, Reuters, AFP)

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