In one of the more dramatic turns on the international stage this week, President Donald Trump revealed key details from his unexpected meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican during Pope Francis’ funeral, offering rare insight into the ongoing peace overtures between Ukraine and Russia. The encounter marked their first in-person exchange since a highly publicized and contentious Oval Office meeting in February—and this time, the tone appears to have shifted.
According to Trump, the private discussion centered on reaching a peace deal with Russia, something the president has long claimed he can deliver faster than traditional diplomats. Speaking to NewsNation in a Tuesday evening town hall, Trump described the meeting as part reality check and part negotiation starter.
“I was telling him that it’s a very good thing if we can produce a deal, that you sign it, because Russia is much bigger and much stronger,” Trump said.
Zelenskyy, for his part, was diplomatic but cautiously optimistic in a social media post afterward, describing the meeting as “very symbolic” and hinting at the possibility of a historic outcome, if substantive agreements can be reached.
Trump confirmed that Zelenskyy once again pressed the United States for more weapons, a familiar request that Trump framed with fatigue:
“He told me that he needs more weapons, but he’s been saying that for three years.”
The president also expressed disappointment in recent Russian bombing campaigns following prior discussions—signaling both surprise and frustration at Moscow’s lack of restraint, particularly in the wake of diplomatic engagement.
However, Trump’s most revealing—and controversial—comment came in the form of a prediction: he believes Zelenskyy may ultimately agree to cede Crimea in a future peace deal.
“I think he’s willing to give up Crimea,” Trump said, referring to the Ukrainian peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014.
This statement is bound to raise alarm in Kyiv and among U.S. national security circles. Zelenskyy has repeatedly and publicly stated that Crimea is non-negotiable, and ceding it to Russia would be seen by many Ukrainians as a betrayal of national sovereignty and a capitulation to aggression.
