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U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met for what the White House described as a “very productive” discussion in Rome ahead of Pope Francis’s funeral.
The meeting came just a day after Trump suggested that Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal” to end the ongoing war.
Ukraine’s presidential office confirmed the meeting and indicated that the two leaders would hold additional talks later on Saturday. Trump’s peace efforts have involved direct communication with Moscow; his envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Friday for a three-hour session to discuss Washington’s proposed peace plan.
After the meeting, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that “most of the major points are agreed to,” without disclosing specific details. His remarks come despite Zelenskyy’s continued rejection of proposals involving the cession of Crimea to Russia — an idea Trump supported in a recent interview, stating that Crimea “will stay with Russia.”
While Washington has not officially outlined its full peace proposal, officials have hinted that it could involve freezing current frontlines and recognizing Russian control over Crimea in exchange for a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, tension in the region escalated with fresh reports of violence. Russian authorities accused Ukraine of orchestrating a car bomb attack that killed senior military officer Yaroslav Moskalik near Moscow on Friday, just hours before the Witkoff-Putin meeting. Ukraine has not issued a comment regarding the incident, although the Russian foreign ministry said there was “reason to believe” Kyiv’s special services were involved.
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Further complicating matters, independent Russian media reported that an American man — reportedly the son of a CIA deputy director — was killed in eastern Ukraine in 2024 while fighting under contract for Russian forces.
Separately, Zelenskyy suggested he might miss Pope Francis’s funeral due to urgent military meetings. However, he pledged that Ukraine would be properly represented at the event if he was unable to attend.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced the seizure of a foreign vessel in its territorial waters, accusing it of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” smuggling stolen Ukrainian grain to international markets. Kyiv has long accused Moscow of profiting from looted Ukrainian agricultural exports, allegations which Russia has denied.
Additionally, Russia’s FSB security agency said it had arrested a Romanian citizen suspected of spying on military sites in Sochi for Ukraine. The Romanian government acknowledged the detention but noted the man had initially been held in Abkhazia four months earlier.
The Belgorod region also saw violence, as Russian authorities said two civilians were killed and another critically injured by a Ukrainian drone attack targeting a civilian vehicle on Friday.
The flurry of diplomatic meetings, military confrontations, and accusations underscores the complicated and volatile nature of efforts to bring the conflict to an end.
