Trump & Zelensky meet at Pope's funeral - Come to Jesus moment? Lt Col Daniel Davis

At the Vatican during the Pope’s funeral, Trump and Zelensky had a significant meeting—their first since a heated Oval Office encounter in February. This meeting comes amid a lot of diplomatic activity, with US, Russian, and European leaders all engaged in talks. People are trying to figure out what Trump and Zelensky discussed, as their body language and PR releases from both sides paint very different pictures.

Trump has been publicly saying that peace talks are close, emphasizing the need to stop the war. He has also stated that Crimea will remain part of Russia, a stance directly opposed by Zelensky, who insists Ukraine’s territorial integrity is non-negotiable.

On Russia’s side, Putin has expressed readiness for dialogue—but notably with "Kyiv" (Ukraine) as a government, not specifically with Zelensky, whom Russia no longer recognizes as a legitimate leader because Ukraine hasn’t held recent elections.

Trust between Russia and the West is badly eroded. Russia remains skeptical of any promises from the US or Europe, especially since Western negotiators seem to suggest that any deal made under Trump could be reversed by a future administration.

There are also massive gaps between the demands of each side:

Russia wants demilitarization and "denazification" of Ukraine.

Ukraine seeks a full ceasefire, territorial integrity, and security guarantees.

Europe remains firmly against appeasing Putin, with many European leaders urging Trump not to negotiate with Russia.

Despite Trump’s optimism about being close to a deal, actual convergence between the parties appears very unlikely, with wide disagreements still in place.

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