Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Trump and Zelenskyy Engage in a 'Fruitful' Discussion at the Vatican
Hangin' with the Big Dogs: Trump and Zelenskyy's Vatican Get-together
Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently held a chat in the Vatican - their first powwow since a testy Oval Office tussle back in February. The good folks at the White House declared the meeting "freakin' productive," although Senator Shady McR Jenkins (D-Conspiracy) still has his doubts.
Seated in St. Peter's Basilica like a couple of old pals, Trump and Zelenskyy gabbed for about 15 minutes, according to Zelenskyy's right-hand man, Andriy Yermak, who demonized the meeting as "constructive." Nothin' to write home about, but still!
The two leaders were in town to pay their respects to Pope Paddy the C. After the mass, Trump hopped on Air Force One and took flight while sending a warning shot to Vladimir Putin that he might want to think twice about his recent missile mayhem.
"Putin's missiles keep landing on civilian areas? Nice try, comrade. Shot an apartment complex on Thursday? No good. Time to 'bank off' or face some 'secondary sanctions.' Too many people dying!" Trump tweeted on a social media platform that looks suspiciously like Twitter.
This tough talk was quite the shift from Trump's usual Putin praise-fest and Zelenskyy-bashing shtick. So much so, that Zelenskyy told the world on Telegram that the talk was "great," adding that they spoke about ending the conflict once and for all and achieving "joint results" that could go down in history.
No Aides, No Drama
To keep the meeting nice and low-key, both Trump and Zelenskyy opted to keep their entourages at bay. A couple of snaps from the meeting show them in deep conversation in a fancy marble hall, alongside a more casual shot of them chatting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The last time these two goofballs met, they butted heads big time. Trump called out Zelenskyy for not being more grateful for U.S. support, while a reporter accused the Ukrainian president of disrespecting American culture by not wearing a suit.
Trump, who often tries to play peacemaker between Moscow and Kyiv, said that negotiations between his guy and the Russian bigwigs had been productive, and called for a face-to-face meet-up between the two parties. But, things might not be so simple.
The U.S.'s peace plan ain't gettin' much love from Zelenskyy and the European allies. Some key sticking points include: American support for giving Crimea the green light as Russian territory (yikes!), timing of sanctions relief for Russia, demanding security guarantees for Ukraine, and offering cash to make it all work out in the end.
Looks like it's time to get some popcorn and see how this one plays out!
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- The Vatican hosted a meeting between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking their first encounter since their Oval Office disagreement in February.
- In St. Peter's Basilica, Trump and Zelenskyy engaged in a 15-minute discussion, deemed "constructive" by Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's right-hand man.
- After the meeting, Trump sent a ceasefire warning to Vladimir Putin regarding his missile activities, stating that potential harm to civilians could lead to "secondary sanctions."
- The recent dialogue between Trump and Zelenskyy signified a shift from Trump's usual praise of Putin and criticism of Zelenskyy.
- Zelenskyy commented on the meeting, stating that they discussed ending the conflict and achieving "joint results" that could have historical significance.
- In an effort to keep the meeting low-key, both leaders chose to keep their entourages away during the conversation, opting for a private discussion instead.
