US President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 26 April in Rome, where both leaders attended Pope Francis’s funeral.

“President Trump and President Zelenskyy met privately today and had a very productive discussion. More details about the meeting will follow,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement.

A spokesman for Zelenskyy’s office confirmed the meeting took place but provided no additional information.

This marks their first meeting since a tense encounter at the White House in February.

The leaders agreed to continue negotiations on 26 April. After Pope Francis’ funeral, or during the day, Zelenskyy is to meet with Trump again.

The Rome meeting comes at a critical juncture in peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Trump said on 25 April that there had been “productive talks” between his envoy and Russian leadership.

“We’re calling for a high-level meeting between Kyiv and Moscow to close a deal,” Trump said.

The US president has previously warned his administration would abandon peace efforts if the two sides fail to reach an agreement soon.

According to previous reports, significant differences have emerged between the Trump administration’s position and the stance of Ukraine and its European allies.

Washington proposed legally recognizing Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014, as Russian territory. Ukraine and European allies consider this a “red line they will not cross.”

Other points of contention include the timeline for lifting sanctions on Russia, security guarantees for Ukraine, and financial compensation for Ukraine.

During the February White House meeting, Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of being ungrateful for US support. A reporter from a conservative news network criticized the Ukrainian leader for not wearing a suit.

Zelenskyy has consistently worn military-style attire since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, saying it shows solidarity with Ukrainian fighters.

For the Rome meeting, Zelenskyy again chose not to wear a suit. He appeared in a dark shirt buttoned to the neck without a tie and wore a dark military-style jacket.

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