The funeral of Pope Francis of the meeting was the first from an angry encounter in Washington, DC, in February.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zenskyy had a “very productive” meeting in Rome, said a White House official, his first meeting from the Oval office in February of this year.
“President Trump and President Zenskyy with private today and had a very productive discussion. They will follow more details about the meeting,” said the Communications Director of the White House, Steven Cheung.
Zenskyy’s Cabinet Chief Andriy Yermak described the 15 -minute meeting as “constructive”, but did not give more details.
The two leaders were in Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. Its meeting occurs when efforts to negotiate the end of the Ukraine-Russian conflict face increasing challenges.
Zenskyy’s office released photos of the meeting in Rome, offering a rare vision of private conversations. In a photograph, the two leaders sat in front of one in a large marble hall, bowing closely while talking.
No assistants appeared with them.
Another image of the same environment shows the Ukrainian president in a tight circle with the president of the United States, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron.
The tensions between Trump and Zenskyy had a total duration during their last meeting, when the Ukrainian president faced Trump criticism and vice president JD Vance on what they as a lack of gratitude for US support. An American reporter also accused Zenskyy or lack of respect for not using a suit.
Trump, who has pressed both Moscow and Kyiv towards a high fire, said Friday that the conversations between his envoy and Russian officials had been “productive”, urging a direct meeting between the two parties to end an agreement.
However, divisions have emerged between Washington’s proposals and kyiv’s positions and its European allies. An important conflict point is an US proposal for the legal recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, a movement of Ukraine and European nations firmly oppose.
The disputes also remain on the moment of relief of sanctions for Moscow, the nature of security guarantees for Ukraine and how kyiv would be compensated financial.