Rome: American president Donald Trump warned that the Russian leader Vladimir Putin “must be treated differently” after an emotional meeting with the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky during the funeral of Pope Francis.
Speaking shortly after their talks in the calm of the Saint-Pierre basilica, Trump raised doubts about knowing if Putin really wants peace, accusing him of continuing the attacks of fatal missiles against civilians.
Zelensky said that he had discussed a possible unconditional ceasefire with Russia and that “hoped for the results” of a “very symbolic meeting which has the potential to become historical”.
It was the first meeting of the two leaders since a noisy confrontation of the White House in February, and after leaving Rome, Trump said a new approach to the Russian president.
“There was no reason for Putin to draw missiles in civil, cities and cities, in recent days,” said Trump in an article on his Truth social platform.
“It makes me think that he may not want to stop war, he simply makes me hit and must be treated differently, by` bank ” or “secondary sanctions? “Too many people die !!!”
The war threw a shadow on the funeral of Francis. Even if it took place, Russia said that its forces had “fully released” the Kursk border region.
Ukraine, however, insisted that his army was still fighting in Kursk, a Russian territory which he hopes to use as a negotiation currency in any discussion of future peace.
“ Very productive discussion ”
Trump and Zelensky sat face to face, leaning forward in a deep discussion in a corner of the basilica, while the wooden coffin of the Pope lied in front of the altar before the funeral, according to the images published by the Ukrainian presidency.
“We have discussed a lot in one,” wrote Zelensky on X.
“Hoping for results on everything we have covered. Protect the life of our people. A complete and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and durable peace that will prevent another war from breaking,” he added.
An assistant from Zelensky described the meeting as “constructive” and the White House described it “a very productive discussion”.
The American president flew from Rome immediately after the funeral mass and there were no more talks.
But the two leaders also briefly nestled inside the basilica with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron’s office described the exchanges as “positive” and then met Zelensky on a head.
Great Britain said that Starmer and Zelensky had “discussed the positive progress made in recent days”.
‘You can count on’ ue
Zelensky also met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
“Europe will always remain Ukraine in the pursuit of peace,” said Von Der Leyen in a post on X afterwards. “You can count on our support for the negotiation table to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
On Place Saint-Pierre, Trump rubbed shoulders with dozens of world leaders, many wanting to discuss the prices he triggered.
But it was the meeting with Zelensky that aroused the most interest while the American chief pushes for a peace agreement.
The two parties had kept the prospects of a vague meeting before the funeral, Trump only saying that it was “possible”.
Tensions were raised since Trump and Vice-President JD Vance reprimanded Zelensky in the oval office on February 28, qualifying him as ungrateful for billions of US military assistance since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Blame game
Trump, while calling Putin to stop Russia’s attacks, recently blamed Zelensky for the war and the bloodshed.
Russia launched a large -scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering a conflict that made tens of thousands of deaths.
Trump pushed Zelensky to accept concessions such as the recognition that Crimea, which Moscow has seized in 2014, will remain in Russian hands under any agreement to stop the conflict.
After arriving in Rome, Trump said there had been progress in talks and pushed to Russian and Ukrainian leaders to meet.
“They are very close to an agreement, and the two parties should now meet, at very high levels, to” finish “,” he posted on his social platform Truth.
“Most of the main points are accepted,” he said.
On Friday, Putin discussed the “possibility” of direct talks with Ukraine at a meeting with Witkoff, according to a Kremlin assistant.
He told Witkoff that Russia was ready to take back talks with Ukraine “without prerequisites,” added the Kremlin on Saturday.
Putin-Witkoff’s meeting occurred just after a Russian general was killed in a car attack outside Moscow.
Russian FSB security services announced on Saturday that a “Ukrainian special service agent” suspected of having planted the bomb had been arrested.
Few meetings
The American president, accompanied by his wife Melania, made the first foreign trip of his second term.
This staged him from a major diplomatic rally with around fifty heads of state, including 10 reign monarchs and the British prince William.
The trip also came after he rocked European allies by imposing radical rates, although it has at least temporarily fell from the most serious measures.
The American president shook the hand of Von der Leyen. The two agreed to meet, said a spokesman for the European Union.
Other leaders have also invaded Trump.
A person he has not met: his predecessor Joe Biden. Trump has repeatedly disparaged Biden, a Catholic Assistant independently with his wife Jill and seated five rows behind his successor.
Previously, other presidents took their predecessors with them on Air Force One to papal funerals.
The official images of the Vatican showed that Trump and Melania stopped in the coffin closed in the Saint-Pierre basilica.
Trump, in a suit and a dark blue tie, and Melania, wearing a black veil, then took seats in the front row for the service.
Trump had said that all meetings would be quick and added: “Frankly, it is a bit disrespectful to have meetings when you are at the Pope’s funeral.”
