Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting in Rome that lasted over two hours. The negotiations focused on the possibility of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The meeting took place on neutral territory behind closed doors, without the participation of official representatives from either administration. On the American side, only a few of Trump’s advisors were present, while Zelenskyy arrived with a small delegation, including his chief negotiator Andriy Yermak, reports the Baltimore Chronicle, citing The Guardian.
According to sources familiar with the events, Trump sought to demonstrate his role as a potential mediator in resolving the conflict. During the discussion, he emphasized the need for a swift achievement of a truce and proposed several initiatives, including holding further talks with the participation of both conflicting parties.
Although the meeting was preliminary and introductory in nature, both leaders described it as “very productive.” Zelenskyy confirmed the importance of U.S. support for Ukraine, stressing that any agreements must consider Kyiv’s position regarding territorial integrity. Trump, in turn, expressed his willingness to continue working towards finding pathways to end the fighting.
Sources indicated that additional consultations could be agreed upon in the near future to discuss specific conditions for a ceasefire. Both sides remain open to further meetings, although no dates or formats for new talks have yet been finalized. Trump’s involvement in such initiatives has already attracted the attention of the international community, which is closely monitoring his actions ahead of the U.S. presidential elections.
Earlier we wrote about Trump at the Pope’s funeral.