This weekend, President Trump made a brief visit to Europe, a region that has faced turmoil due to his recent actions. He attended Pope Francis’s funeral and held a crucial meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, potentially influencing Ukraine’s future borders and fate.
Trump spent roughly 14 hours in Rome and departed right after the pope’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square, greeting some world leaders only briefly.
His quick visit marked an unusual pace for a new president’s first international trip, leaving little room for discussing various topics such as tariffs on the European Union, his approach to Russia, or his demand for increased European defense contributions.
Trump expressed to his aides a desire to return to his golf club in New Jersey the same day.
The grandeur of the funeral, which included dignitaries and a moment for handshakes among leaders, provided a backdrop for interpreting diplomatic signals. However, Trump’s approximately 15-minute encounter with Zelensky bore its own unique symbolism.
Photographs from Ukraine revealed the meeting took place in St. Peter’s Basilica, with both leaders sitting on cushioned chairs, engaged in conversation as they awaited the start of the ceremony. This impromptu meeting was striking, considering their openly hostile and distrustful relationship.
It was their first interaction since a heated discussion in the Oval Office in February, where Trump shifted his focus away from Ukraine and leaned toward Russia. Zelensky left that encounter with an unfinished agenda and an uneaten lunch.
White House spokesperson Stephen Cheung described Saturday’s meeting as a “very productive discussion” but provided no details. Later on, Zelensky called it a “good meeting,” mentioning discussions about security guarantees to prevent Russia from exploiting a cease-fire to regroup and attack again.
Trump left promptly, ignoring a prior suggestion from a Ukrainian spokesperson about more discussions in Rome. After Trump departed on Air Force One, the spokesperson stated that further talks wouldn’t happen due to the leaders’ tight schedules.
The brief meeting was crucial as efforts to resolve the war between Ukraine and Russia intensified, with Trump pushing both Zelensky and President Putin to engage in direct negotiations.
After arriving in Rome, Trump claimed on Truth Social that “they are very close to a deal,” urging high-level meetings to finalize the agreement.
As Zelensky reached Rome, Russia announced it had reclaimed a previously lost village in Kursk, which Ukraine had targeted last summer to leverage its negotiating position. Ukraine contested that its troops had fully withdrawn.
Earlier in the week, the U.S. proposed a cease-fire plan that would essentially grant Russia control of territory it unlawfully occupied since the invasion three years ago. This included a formal U.S. acknowledgment of Russia’s claim to Crimea, a significant shift in American policy.
Zelensky asserted that Ukraine would never concede to this demand. However, he brought a counterproposal to Rome, suggesting a resolution that would impose stricter terms on Russia, including financial reparations for Ukraine. The counteroffer did not clarify whether Ukraine would regain Crimea or other seized territories, deferring territorial discussions until after a cease-fire.
Neither proposal satisfied several key demands from Putin, particularly regarding limitations on Ukraine’s military.
On his flight home, Trump placed part of the blame for Ukraine’s situation on his predecessors, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, who was seated just rows behind him at the funeral. “This is Sleepy Joe Biden’s War, not mine,” he posted.
He also criticized Putin, saying, “There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas,” suggesting that it seemed like Putin was not interested in ending the war.
Moreover, Trump threatened to impose new sanctions against Russia in his post.
Zelensky’s remarks about the meeting indicated he learned from their previous encounter. He emphasized the importance of expressing gratitude despite ongoing disagreements.
“A very symbolic meeting that has the potential to be historic, if we achieve joint results,” he noted, concluding with, “Thank you @POTUS.”
Among the topics discussed were the need for a “full and unconditional ceasefire” and a “reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war.” This last point was significant because Trump’s suggestion offered little in terms of security guarantees for Ukraine, while the Ukrainian proposal envisioned a European peacekeeping force with U.S. support.
Zelensky also engaged with other leaders, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, and the U.K.’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Macron, who shared a photo walking alongside Zelensky, stated that the Ukrainian president was “ready for an unconditional ceasefire.” Both Meloni and Starmer emphasized Zelensky’s commitment to securing a “just and lasting peace.”
After his inauguration, Trump had indicated that he preferred his first overseas trip in this term to be to the Middle…
Eastward, beginning with Saudi Arabia, where he made his first official visit during his initial term.
Instead, his opening trip was to Italy for a funeral, where he found himself with European leaders he had previously criticized for not contributing sufficiently to the continent’s defense, and with EU leaders, whom he claimed were created to disadvantage the United States.
The ceremony highlighted Pope Francis’s sharp opposition to the Trump administration’s stance on mass migrant deportations.
During the sermon, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re mentioned the pope’s visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, one of his numerous “gestures and calls to action in support of refugees and those displaced.”
It was somewhat ironic to see Mr. Zelensky meet Mr. Trump at the funeral. The pope had initially faced challenges in balancing his support for what he referred to as “martyred Ukraine” while trying to refrain from taking explicit sides in the conflict. In 2023, he indicated a failed covert “mission” for peace in Ukraine. The pope, who urged for “the courage necessary to begin negotiations” in his last Christmas address, would undoubtedly have appreciated any efforts toward peace.
The attending foreign dignitaries were arranged alphabetically by country name in French, placing Mr. Trump and First Lady Melania between Finland and Estonia, just down from Mr. Macron.
In the absence of more meaningful discussions, every handshake and exchange involving Mr. Trump was closely examined for political implications during a period of transatlantic strain. He briefly acknowledged Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, who sat a few chairs away. Notably, she had not visited the White House in the last three months.
He had quick conversations with Mr. Macron, Mr. Zelensky, and Mr. Starmer before the services commenced.
Ms. Meloni’s office, which has a warm rapport with Mr. Trump, shared images of him with his hand on her shoulder and walking alongside the Trumps inside St. Peter’s Basilica. However, neither her office nor the White House released statements implying that any significant discussions had occurred.
Maria Varenikova contributed reporting from Kyiv; Stephen Castle from London; Ségolène Le Stradic from Paris; and Emma Bubola and Josephine de La Bruyère from Rome.
