The face-to-face conversation last month was “the most substantive,” the Ukrainian leader said
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has said that US President Donald Trump adjusted his view of the Russia-Ukraine conflict following their brief, impromptu meeting at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican last week. According to him, the discussion stood in sharp contrast to the heated argument the two had in the White House in February.
On April 26, Zelensky and Trump met on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral and spoke for 15 minutes without aides or interpreters. “I think the conversation I had with Trump was the best we’ve had so far. It was possibly the shortest, but also the most substantive. With all due respect to our teams, I believe the tête-à-tête format worked well. The discussion had the right atmosphere,” Zelensky told reporters on Saturday.
“I’m sure that after our meeting at the Vatican, President Trump will see things a bit differently … I believe we conducted ourselves constructively and with decency, which is important,” he added.
“I see him as calmer. I think he understands the picture. And I think he wants to make a deal,” Trump said of Zelensky last Sunday. “It was a beautiful meeting, I tell you, it was the nicest office I’ve ever seen. It was a beautiful scene.”
Zelensky’s trip to the US in February was cut short after Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance accused him of being ungrateful for military aid and acting disrespectfully during their meeting in the Oval Office. Zelensky later said he regretted the incident but refused to issue a formal apology.
Trump has since toned down his criticism of Kiev, as his team continues efforts to broker a truce between Ukraine and Russia. Zelensky, however, has accused Trump’s top negotiator, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, of “spreading Russian narratives.”
Ukraine has rejected Russia’s proposal for a 72-hour truce starting on May 8, instead pushing for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Russia has insisted that for any comprehensive ceasefire to succeed, Ukraine must halt its mobilization drive and stop receiving weapons from abroad. Moscow also demanded that Kiev withdraw troops from territories it claims are under “illegal occupation.”
