President Trump met privately with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Saturday in Rome, the White Home mentioned, the primary time the 2 leaders have met since their televised argument in late February within the Oval Workplace exacerbated the deep breach between the 2 international locations.
The assembly befell in St. Peter’s Basilica, the 2 males perched on metallic chairs, deep in dialog for a number of minutes as they waited for the funeral for Pope Francis to start. A White Home spokesman, Stephen Cheung, known as it a “very productive dialogue,” however gave no particulars.
It got here at a important second. The USA has offered Ukraine with a plan for a cease-fire in its struggle with Russia, resulting in a postwar plan that will give Russia de facto management over the entire lands it has illegally seized for the reason that invasion started three years in the past. The proposal additionally features a main reversal of American coverage: a proper recognition by the US that Crimea, seized by Moscow in 2014, is now Russian territory.
Mr. Zelensky mentioned this previous week that Ukraine would by no means make that concession, noting that it will violate Ukraine’s Structure; a lot of the different nations in Europe would nearly agree with Mr. Zelensky’s view. However the Ukrainian chief has a counterproposal of his personal, Ukrainian officers mentioned, one that will finish the battle on far much less beneficiant phrases for Russia, and would come with billions of {dollars} in reparations for Ukraine, paid by Russia.
The White Home didn’t reply to queries concerning the specifics of the assembly in Vatican Metropolis. But it surely was a exceptional scene: an impromptu assembly between two males who’ve made no secret of their deep dislike and mistrust for one another. Within the minutes after they final noticed one another, Mr. Zelensky was basically evicted from the White Home, a lunch for the 2 males left uneaten and an financial accord permitting the US to assist exploit a lot of Ukraine’s minerals left unsigned.
The assembly on the Vatican got here simply as Mr. Trump was making an attempt to push Mr. Zelensky and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia into direct talks. “They’re very near a deal,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social late Friday, after touchdown in Rome. “The 2 sides ought to now meet, at very excessive ranges, to ‘end it off.’”
His enthusiasm could also be untimely. The proposal turned out by the Trump administration and Mr. Zelensky’s different confirmed an enormous hole even on the query of what the Russians ought to be provided. And neither of the proposals meet a number of of Mr. Putin’s calls for, together with that the scale of Ukraine’s navy be sharply restricted.
Mr. Zelensky posted a positive-sounding description of the assembly on X that made clear that he had realized one lesson from his Oval Workplace encounter: At all times present gratitude, even when he and Mr. Trump differ considerably on the phrases for ending the struggle.
“Good assembly,” he wrote, saying that among the many factors lined have been “full and unconditional ceasefire,” and a “dependable and lasting peace that can forestall one other struggle from breaking out.” The final was significantly essential: Mr. Trump’s proposal has solely imprecise safety ensures for Ukraine. The Ukrainian proposal is way extra particular, calling for a European peacekeeping pressure with the U.S. offering backup.
“Very symbolic assembly that has potential to turn out to be historic, if we obtain joint outcomes,” he wrote, cautious to make use of the phrase “potential.” He ended with: “Thanks @POTUS.”
Since his inauguration, Mr. Trump has made clear that he wished his first journey abroad on this time period to be to the Center East, beginning with Saudi Arabia, the location of his preliminary go to throughout his first time period in workplace. However on Saturday morning, he was in Europe, making his method to Vatican Metropolis to pay his respects on the pontiff’s funeral.
Because the ceremonies started, Mr. Trump was surrounded by European leaders he has been denouncing as freeloaders unwilling to pay their share of the continent’s protection, and leaders of the European Union, which he mentioned was “fashioned in an effort to screw the US.”
On his method to Italy on Friday, Mr. Trump advised reporters on Air Power One which he was attending the funeral “out of respect” for Francis, noting, “I gained the Catholic vote.”
The seating plan launched by the Vatican had friends seated of their group in alphabetical order based mostly on their nation’s title in French. That put Mr. Trump within the entrance row between the leaders of Finland and Estonia, — two international locations deeply apprehensive about Russia’s “shadow struggle” in opposition to their international locations — and simply down from President Emmanuel Macron of France. Mr. Trump, Mr. Macron and Mr. Zelensky all chatted briefly earlier than the providers started.
Mr. Trump’s each handshake and dialog on the funeral was watched for that means. He briefly greeted Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Fee, the manager arm of the European Union, who was sitting a number of chairs down from Mr. Trump. White Home reporters touring with the president, however stored at a substantial distance, reported that the 2 appeared to speak, funereal protocols apart. Previously three months, Ms. von der Leyen was conspicuously absent from the leaders visiting the White Home.
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