Trump and Zelenskyy met ahead of the Pope's funeral — their first encounter since their White House clash

• Trump and Zelenskyy met astatine the Vatican earlier Pope Francis' funeral.

• This was their archetypal gathering since a heated speech astatine the White House successful February.

• "Very symbolic gathering that has imaginable to go historic," Zelenskyy aboriginal wrote connected X.

Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met connected Saturday — their archetypal brushwood since a heated speech astatine the White House 2 months ago.

The 2 leaders held a treatment wrong St. Peter's Basilica, up of the Pope's funeral, with French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer contiguous during the archetypal moments.

Zelenskyy and Trump had not met since their heated speech successful the Oval Office connected February 28, successful which Trump said of Ukraine's warfare against Russia, "You're either going to marque a woody oregon we're out."

Four days later, Trump announced a intermission successful US subject aid, and the EU declared "an epoch of rearmament," arsenic it unveiled a defence backing boost.

The Oval Office gathering was successful the glare of the world's press, but photos of the Rome gathering amusement Trump and Zelenskyy seated adjacent together, without aides oregon interpreters.

Andrii Yermak, a elder adjutant to Zelenskyy, shared a photograph of the leaders successful St. Peter's Basilica connected Telegram. "Constructive," helium wrote.

Steven Cheung, White House communications director, called it a "very productive discussion."

Posting X, Zelenskyy said the brushwood had been a "good meeting."

"We discussed a batch 1 connected one. Hoping for results connected everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting bid that volition forestall different warfare from breaking out. Very symbolic gathering that has imaginable to go historic, if we execute associated results," helium said.

The Rome gathering comes aft Steve Witkoff, Trump's designated bid envoy, travelled to Moscow for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov said the talks centered connected "the anticipation of resuming nonstop negotiations betwixt Russia and Ukraine."

Following Witkoff's return, Trump said connected Truth Social that "most of the large points are agreed to" and that a cease-fire woody betwixt Kyiv and Moscow was "very close."

As helium prepared to permission for Rome connected Friday, Trump told reporters that the talks were "very fragile." He has besides warned that the US mightiness halt its mediation efforts if a woody isn't reached soon.

After the gathering connected Saturday, Zelenskyy was greeted with applause erstwhile helium walked retired of St Peter's Basilica aft paying his respects successful beforehand of the pontiff's coffin.

Trump aboriginal wrote a agelong station connected Truth Social, successful which helium called the warfare successful Ukraine "Sleepy Joe Biden's War, not mine. It was a loser from time one."

The agelong station ended, "There was nary crushed for Putin to beryllium shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, implicit the past fewer days. It makes maine deliberation that possibly helium doesn't privation to halt the war, he's conscionable tapping maine along, and has to beryllium dealt with differently, done "Banking" oregon "Secondary Sanctions?" Too galore radical are dying!!!"

Read the archetypal nonfiction connected Business Insider