Both Presidents meet again after a clash at the White House during their last meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald J Trump met briefly at the Italian capital. This took place at Pope Francis’s funeral ceremony. This was their first in-person meeting since their fallout at the White House. The US President urges Ukraine to seek a peace deal once and for all with Russia.
The two leaders will meet one more time in the day, Ukrainian spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov said.
Pope Francis will be buried – by prisoners and migrants – in a break from tradition.
The White House announced that President Trump and President Zelenskyy engaged in a highly productive discussion during the Pope’s funeral. However, details regarding the meeting were not disclosed.
The funeral is attended by numerous global leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu, President Trump, and President Zelenskyy.
Reports indicate that the 90-minute outdoor ceremony is being jointly attended by 220 cardinals, 750 bishops, and more than 4,000 priests.
On Friday, Trump, who has been advocating for a ceasefire, announced that his envoy had engaged in fruitful discussions with Russian officials and called for a high-level meeting between Kyiv and Moscow to finalize an agreement.
He emphasized the need for Ukraine and Russia to convene for ‘very high-level talks. He then asserted that they are ‘very close to a deal’ to conclude the devastating three-year conflict.
Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, had travelled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the same day.
“They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to finish it off,” Trump wrote. “Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war!”
Earlier, Trump had warned both sides, Russia and Ukraine, that his administration would walk away from its efforts to achieve peace if the two sides did not agree on a deal soon.
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