Just before the Pope’s funeral, the Presidents of Ukraine and the United States met for a “very productive” discussion on the ongoing war in Ukraine.
By Joseph Tulloch
From the very beginning of the war in Ukraine, Pope Francis continuously offered to mediate to help bring about peace.
He appealed for an end to the war at almost every public appearance, and his prayers for “tormented Ukraine” became a familiar refrain.
The Pope’s calls were, above all, calls for dialogue – for the involved parties to come together and find a way to put an end to the conflict.
Today, just before the Pope’s funeral Mass, such a dialogue took place. Photos show Ukraine’s President Zelensky deep in conversation with President Trump, the pair seated across from each other in St Peter’s Basilica.
A spokesperson for the White House called the discussion “very productive”. President Zelensky, meanwhile, said that it had been a “good meeting”, and the pair had “discussed a lot one on one”.
“Hoping for results on everything we covered”, Zelensky wrote on social media. “Protecting the lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.”
Recently, that ceasefire deal has looked less and less likely.
The last time Trump and Zelensky met in person, the discussion devolved into an acrimonious verbal brawl. Earlier this month, President Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio threatened to “walk away” from efforts to broker a peace deal. And just two days ago, Russia carried out its deadliest air attack on Kyiv since the beginning of the year.
Today, however, the discussion seemed far more productive. It was, said Zelensky, a “very symbolic meeting, with the potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.”
If those results do materialise – if the “just peace” so often spoken of by the late Pope is achieved – it might just be Francis’ first miracle.
Trump and Zelensky speak with French President Macron and UK PM Starmer (ANSA)