Overview

• President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met for 15 minutes at St. Peter’s Basilica before Pope Francis's funeral in Rome, their first face-to-face meeting since February.
• Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s need for additional weapons and security guarantees to prevent Russia from exploiting a cease-fire to regroup.
• Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end hostilities and finalize a peace deal but expressed disappointment with recent Russian drone attacks on Ukraine.
• The meeting, described as 'productive' by the White House and 'good' by Zelensky, yielded no concrete agreements on cease-fire terms or military aid.
• Trump’s brief visit to Rome highlighted ongoing tensions over U.S. support for Ukraine and his push for Europe to take greater responsibility for its defense.