After meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on the fringes of Pope Francis's burial, Donald Trump has questioned Putin's readiness to put an end to the conflict in his nation.
Trump claimed there was "no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas" and that he was afraid Putin was "tapping me along" in a social media post after his departure from Rome in response to Moscow's attacks on Kyiv earlier this week.
Just before the burial started, Trump and Zelensky were seen having a lengthy conversation in St. Peter's Basilica earlier in the day.
The 15-minute discussion with Zelensky was deemed "very productive" by the White House. The "potential to become historic" was the Ukrainian president's statement.
It was Trump's first in-person meeting with the Ukrainian president since their heated Oval Office confrontation in February.
The Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities "makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?'" Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account.
Trump had earlier claimed that Russia and Ukraine were "very close to a deal" after his envoy Steve Witkoff and the Russian president held three hours of discussions on Friday.
Russia's willingness to engage in direct negotiations with Ukraine "without preconditions" was reiterated by Putin to Witkoff, the Kremlin claimed on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are seen sitting in seats and engaged in discussion during their meeting inside St. Peter's Basilica, as captured by Andriy Yermak/Telegram Images. Yermak Andriy/Telegram
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky in Rome was the first time the two leaders had met in person since Trump informed Zelensky that "you don't have the cards" and that he was losing the war against Russia during their White House meeting.
This week, he reiterated that statement, claiming that the Ukrainian leader had "no cards to play". Trump has repeatedly accused Zelensky of being a roadblock to peace talks and has previously blamed Ukraine for instigating the conflict.
While Zelensky characterised the meeting as a "very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results," the White House took a more upbeat stance towards Saturday's gathering.
Two pictures of the meeting were made public. They showed the Ukrainian president in a black shirt and pants and the US leader in a blue suit sitting across from one other, engaged in a heated discussion.
An photograph of the meeting was also shared on X by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who wrote: "The significance of this historic encounter cannot be adequately conveyed. In St. Peter's Basilica, two leaders are promoting peace.
Yermak Andriy/Telegram In St. Peter's Basilica, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke with Trump and Zelensky. Yermak Andriy/Telegram
In the Basilica, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer converse with Trump and Zelensky.
The two men were seen standing next to French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, with Macron's hand on Zelensky's shoulder, in another photo shared by the Ukrainian delegation from inside St. Peter's.
Against the sombre background of the funeral, it was implied that the French president and prime minister had assisted in bringing the two together.
Following the meeting, Trump and Zelensky sat in the first row after walking down the basilica's stairs, where the audience cheered Zelensky's entrance.
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Macron and other leaders of state sat between the two throughout the ceremony, a short distance apart.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re mentioned Pope Francis's constant pleas for peace in his sermon. "'Build bridges, not walls' was an exhortation he repeated many times," he added.
Although Trump's car left St. Peter's right after and his aircraft departed Rome shortly after, Ukrainian officials had discussed the possibility of a second encounter.
But Zelensky subsequently visited Macron in the lawn of the French embassy to the Holy See, Villa Bonaparte.
In addition, he had separate discussions with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and visited Sir Keir at the British ambassador's home, Villa Wolkonsky.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are seen strolling and conversing in the grounds of The Villa Wolkonsky in Rome, Italy, in this PA Media image. PA Media
Macron said that "we share in common with President Trump" the goal of ending the conflict in Ukraine and that Ukraine was prepared for "an unconditional ceasefire" in a post on X.
The two agreed to "maintain momentum" and "speak again at the earliest opportunity" after discussing the recent advances achieved to "secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine," according to a Downing Street official.
Trump accused the Ukrainian president of "gambling with World War Three" by refusing to cooperate with Washington-led ceasefire proposals at a contentious White House meeting in February.
Trump has been putting increasing pressure on Kyiv to commit to territorial concessions as part of a war-ending deal with Moscow.
According to reports, these concessions would include ceding substantial tracts of territory, including the Crimean peninsula, which Russia unlawfully acquired in 2014.
In the past, Zelensky has turned down the proposal many times. On Friday, he told the BBC that "a complete and uncond
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