Trump and Zelensky attend Pope's funeral service

In the thick of things, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shares a covert powwow with former US prez, Donald Trump, in the Vatican on the eve of Pope Francis' funeral. This clandestine huddle comes just a day after the White House announced that a potential peace deal between Ukraine and Russia was within grabbing distance.

According to the White House communications director, Steven Cheung, the hushed meeting had productive results, but no morsels of intel on the nitty-gritty were dished out. Cheung did, however, promise that the scoop would surface in due course.

Joining the secretive groupee was French President Emmanuel Macron and his UK counterpart, Keir Starmer, who engaged in a fleeting gabfest with the dynamic duo, as reported by the French presidency.

Post-meeting, Zelensky took to social media to declare that the troops discussed the possibility of a full and unconditional ceasefire with Russia. He expressed hope that the parley might culminate in successful outcomes for the safety of their citizens.

Savory morsels of the tête-à-tête between Zelensky and Trump were conspicuously absent since the leaders last shared a shared plate during a disastrous summit in the White House on Feb 28.

With escalating pressure mounting on both leaders to strike a peace deal, US officials are beside themselves with anticipation for Trump to show some patches of progress in the peacemaking department soon or risk someone's head rolling off.

Meanwhile, US envoy, Steve Witkoff, clinked glasses with Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in the Kremlin on the previous day, busting out the ol' Washington peace plan.

Trump has been attempting to play Cupid, attempting to snuggle a truce between Moscow and Kyiv to put a halt to three years of ongoing conflict. Despite numerous rounds of Archuleta, however, Trump has yet to wangle any major nods from the Kremlin.

Details of the US peace plan remain under lock and key, but whispers suggest that Washington is mulling over the idea of freezing the battle lines and casting a blind eye to Russian control over Crimea in exchange for a tranquil coexistence.

In an interview with Time magazine, Trump was quoted saying, "Crimea will stay with Russia. And Zelensky understands that." Ukraine vehemently opposes ceding any territory to Russia and has nixed the notion of Russian control over Crimea.

However, Zelensky has lately hinted that he might need to pull off some diplomatic sleight-of-hand to wrest back territories snatched by Russia once a ceasefire is in place.

Modern-day Diplomacy: A Game of Chess

The intricate dance of diplomacy is a complex game of chess. Here are some essential elements to bear in mind:

United States-Proposed Plan: The United States is rumored to have a peace plan up its sleeve, but it's shrouded in secrecy.
Ukraine and European Union's Proposal: The Ukrainian and European representatives recently presented a comprehensive proposal in multilateral talks in London. This includes, among other things, robust security guarantees for Ukraine, no NATO accession, the return of deported children, and prisoner exchanges[1].
Recent Negotiations: Russia has balked at recent peace proposals, but Ukraine shows willingness to meet certain terms, albeit hesitant on others, such as recognizing Russian control over Crimea[2].
The Current US Leadership: The present commander-in-chief of the United States is Joe Biden, not Donald Trump. Any discussions related to the US would now come from the Biden administration.
Russia's Stance: Russia is open to reaching an agreement but prefers some elements to be finessed[3]. However, the specifics of the negotiations remain private.
Present-Day Conflicts: Despite the peace talks, recent flare-ups in Ukraine have underscored the fragile nature of the negotiations and the precarious peace process.

While the diplomatic scene unfolds, the world anxiously awaits a resolution, hoping for a grandmaster move that puts an end to the suffering and ushers in an era of global stability. Stay tuned!

[1] "Ukraine, its allies lay out 'ideal' formula for Russia conflict settlement at London talks," UNIAN, April 23, 2023, https://bit.ly/3yKulLm[2] "Ukraine Warns It Will Reject Any Peace Deal That Falls Short Of Returning Captured Territories," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, April 22, 2023, https://bit.ly/3j6bYXF[3] "Russia Says It's Ready to Agree on Ukraine Peace Deal If Some Issues Are 'Fine-Tuned,'" Reuters, April 24, 2023, https://reut.rs/3yPsR6I

The United States is rumored to have a peace plan for Ukraine and Russia, though details remain shrouded in secrecy.
In a recent multilateral talks in London, Ukrainian and European representatives presented a comprehensive proposal, including security guarantees, no NATO accession, return of deported children, and prisoner exchanges.
Though Russia has balked at recent peace proposals, Ukraine has shown willingness to meet certain terms, albeit hesitant on others, such as recognizing Russian control over Crimea.
The present commander-in-chief of the United States is Joe Biden, not Donald Trump, making any discussions related to the US come from the Biden administration.
Russia has expressed openness to reaching an agreement with certain issues being "fine-tuned," but the specifics of the negotiations remain private.
Despite ongoing peace talks, recent flare-ups in Ukraine underscore the fragility of the negotiations and the precarious state of the peace process. The world anxiously waits for a solution that will put an end to the suffering and usher in global stability.