Trump and Zelensky hold solo meeting in Vatican to revive Ukraine peace talks

The latest news on Russia and Ukraine. In a private meeting inside St. Peter's Basilica ahead of Pope Francis's funeral, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed potential paths toward ending the war in Ukraine.

With no aides present and seated just feet apart in the setting of St. Peter's Basilica, the two leaders spoke for around fifteen minutes, signalling a rare and highly symbolic moment of direct diplomacy at a time when ceasefire negotiations face mounting challenges.

While both sides described the encounter as productive, underlying divisions remain over issues such as the status of Crimea and the timeline for lifting sanctions on Russia. For now, it remains to be seen how this conversation will influence the fragile peace efforts.