White House hails "very productive" Trump-Zelenskyy meeting at Pope's funeral

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held what the White House described as a “very productive discussion” on April 26, meeting privately on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome.

The encounter marked their first face-to-face dialogue since a highly publicized shouting match at the White House in February, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed the meeting in a brief statement, saying, “Trump and Zelenskyy met privately today and had a very productive discussion. More details about the meeting will follow.”

The previously strained relationship between the two leaders became a flashpoint earlier this year, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance reportedly accused Zelenskyy of failing to show sufficient appreciation for US support in Ukraine’s war against Russia. According to accounts from that meeting, Zelenskyy was “essentially kicked out of the White House following the Oval Office blowout.”

Renewed engagement comes as the Trump administration accelerates efforts to broker a peace deal to end the three-year conflict. Upon landing in Rome, Trump told reporters that Russia and Ukraine were “very close” to a resolution. This followed a high-level meeting between Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was described by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov as “constructive and very useful.”

However, diplomatic sources note significant friction between the Trump administration’s proposal and that of Ukraine and its European allies. According to a European official, Ukraine’s plan involves a ceasefire followed by negotiations on territory, backed by NATO-style defence guarantees.

By contrast, Witkoff’s plan reportedly includes US recognition of Crimea as Russian, “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine, Kyiv’s neutrality on NATO membership, and lifting of sanctions on Russia. This proposal has been strongly opposed by Zelenskyy, who said earlier this week, “There was nothing to talk about,” citing that recognizing Russian control over Crimea would violate Ukraine’s constitution.

Amid rising urgency, the US warned last week it may abandon the talks “within days” if tangible progress is not made. The Trump administration’s 100-day deadline to secure a peace deal is fast approaching.

By Vafa Guliyeva