After the setbacks in failed peace talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a series of high-level meetings with US officials and European leaders in Rome on Sunday — just a day before the scheduled phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, which will decide the fate of ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Zelenskyy used his visit to Rome for Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass to meet top US and European officials.
During his visit, Zelenskyy spoke with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the US ambassador’s residence. After the meeting, Zelenskyy shared on social media that he restated Ukraine’s commitment to a “full and unconditional ceasefire.”
“We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defence cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange,” he said. “Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war.”
This was the first in-person meeting between Zelenskyy and Vance since their tense interaction at the White House in February.
In the ‘Face the Nation’ interview, Rubio said, “The only way that these talks will move forward is if Mr. Trump and Putin meet in person.” He added that Trump is willing to hold a one-on-one meeting with the Russian president. “The mechanics of setting that kind of meeting up would require a little bit of work,” Rubio said. “But the president wants to do it. He wants to do it as soon as feasible.”
When asked whether Russia and Ukraine were only engaging in talks to “buy time,” Rubio responded, “We’ll find out pretty soon.” He added, “On the one hand, we’re trying to achieve peace and end a very bloody, costly and destructive war. So, there’s some element of patience that is required. On the other hand, we don’t have time to waste.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was also in Rome, said he spoke with both Zelenskyy and Rubio. Merz added that leaders from Germany, France, and the UK have agreed to more conversations with the American president to coordinate efforts.
“My firm impression is that both the Europeans and the Americans are determined to work together, but now also in a goal-oriented manner, to ensure that this terrible war ends soon,” Merz told reporters.
ZELENSKYY MEETS POPE LEO
Zelenskyy also met Pope Leo after the religious ceremony.” For many nations, the image of a mother and child is a symbol of life that must be protected. Today, we presented Pope Leo XIV with a special icon – the Holy Mother with the Infant, painted on a fragment of a crate used to store heavy artillery munitions, brought from near Izyum. This icon speaks of our children. Of those who have suffered from the war, who were deliberately abducted and deported by Russia, and who are very much awaited at home – in Ukraine, ” Zelenskyy said in a social media post.
“We pray for the lives of all our deported children and hope for the Vatican’s support in this matter, so that all of them, both the children and Ukrainian prisoners, can return home,” he added.
DRONE ATTACK HITS UKRAINE
Ukraine is facing one of its worst drone attacks since the war started. Russia sent 273 drones and decoys to attack areas including Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk.
Ukraine’s air force said 88 drones had been destroyed and another 128 were lost, presumably due to electronic jamming.