Breaking: Amid Pope Francis’ Funeral, US President Trump and Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Engage in High-Stakes Peace Talks Inside St. Peter’s Basilica

Trump and Zelenskyy Hold Urgent Peace Talks in St. Peter’s Basilica Amid Pope Francis’ Funeral

Vatican City, April 26, 2025 – In a moment of profound historical resonance, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met inside the hallowed halls of St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, just minutes before the funeral of Pope Francis. The meeting, which took place against the backdrop of global mourning for the late pontiff, underscored the urgency of diplomatic efforts to broker peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, as the two leaders seized a rare opportunity to address one of the world’s most pressing crises.

The image of the two leaders, captured in a striking photograph shared by The Voice of Earth on X, tells a story of solemnity and purpose. Trump, dressed in a dark suit, is seen kneeling beside Zelenskyy, who sits in a chair, the two engaged in what appears to be a deeply serious conversation. The setting—an ornate chamber within St. Peter’s Basilica, near the Baptistry Chapel—adds a layer of gravitas to the encounter. Marble columns, intricate mosaics, and the presence of a Vatican official in traditional attire in the background evoke the Vatican’s long-standing role as a neutral ground for dialogue, a tradition rooted in the 1929 Lateran Treaty that established its sovereignty and commitment to neutrality in international conflicts.

A Diplomatic Summit Amid Mourning

The meeting was not announced in advance, a fact that surprised many given the tight schedule of Trump’s visit to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral. The pontiff, who passed away earlier in April 2025, was a towering figure in global affairs, known for his advocacy for peace and humanitarian causes. His funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica drew world leaders from across the globe, providing an unexpected stage for this bilateral summit. According to Zelenskyy’s press office, the discussion focused on the Russia-Ukraine war, with both leaders exploring pathways to a ceasefire as the conflict nears its fourth year.

Trump, who has made ending the Ukraine war a cornerstone of his second administration’s foreign policy, described the talks as productive in a post on Truth Social shortly after arriving in Rome. “A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off,’” he wrote. The statement reflects Trump’s broader push for a peace deal, a stance that has drawn both praise and criticism given his administration’s decision to pause US military aid to Ukraine in March 2025—a move that sparked tensions with Kyiv.