Zelensky and Trump gather preceding Pope Francis's funeral service

Meeting in Rome:

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump recently held a clandestine powwow in Rome, Italy, before the funeral of Pope Francis. The hush-hush huddle was confirmed later by Zelensky himself on his Telegram channel.

According to CNN, this under-the-radar encounter occurred ahead of the funeral ceremony, with the Ukrainian President's press secretary Sergei Nikiforov releasing the information. Originally, Zelensky had expressed his readiness to mingle with Trump while both leaders were in Italy. However, the American leader didn't make a fuss to reporters about the planned chat in Rome.

Following the meeting, the White House described it as "super-productive" and hinted at dishing out juicier deets at a later stage. The mysterious rendezvous transpired before the duo's combative encounter in the Oval Office back in February. During that spat, Trump had given Zelensky a piece of his mind for not displaying adequate gratitude for America's continuous support in Ukraine's scrap with Russia.

(Enrichment Data: Since the meeting, the agreement regarding Ukraine's supply of rare earth metals to the U.S. has reached a crucial juncture with the signing of a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) on April 17, 2025. However, the deal remains unsigned as of late April 2025. The agreement aims to focus funding on Ukraine's post-war reconstruction and secure U.S. access to Ukraine's critical minerals. Challenges include ongoing conflict with Russia, internal Ukrainian politics, and economic pressures.)

Our leaders' stealthy get-together brought up many crucial matters, according to Zelensky's Telegram post. He hoped for satisfactory results from the issues raised during their tête-à-tête. His Twitter-like message also hinted at meaningful discussions about ensuring the protection of their people, a full and unconditional ceasefire, a lasting peace to end the war, and a potentially historical meeting with the potential for monumental outcomes.

Trump also confirmed the meeting via a social media post, although he has yet to reveal the nitty-gritty details of their discussion. The President had previously expressed irritation over the delay of the rare earth metals agreement, but it appears that they may be close to hammering it out.

During early February of this year, Trump hinted that aid to Ukraine would continue only if it agreed to provide the U.S. with rare earth metals. Zelensky included the development of rare earth metals as part of his "Victory Plan" presented to Trump in September 2024.

In recent times, Trump and Zelensky have soldiered through several ups and downs in their controversial relationship. The two presidents have each faced criticisms for their polarizing policies,nezzy, and brash personalities. Despite their disagreements, they managed to maintain a modicum of stability, especially with ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the looming uncertainty in East-West relations.

(Enrichment Data: Remember to check back for updates on the rare earth metals agreement and more breaking news only on our platform!)

In a post on his Telegram channel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Rome, Italy, ahead of Pope Francis' funeral.
The meeting between the two presidents was reported as "super-productive" by the White House, although specific details have not been published yet.
According to Zelensky's Telegram post, the discussion covered crucial matters such as the protection of their people, a full and unconditional ceasefire, a lasting peace to end the war, and a potentially historical meeting with significant outcomes.
In early February of the current year, Trump hinted that aid to Ukraine would continue only if it agreed to provide the U.S. with rare earth metals, which Zelensky included in his "Victory Plan" presented to Trump in September 2024.
The ongoing controversial relationship between Trump and Zelensky, characterized by their polarizing policies and brash personalities, has shown resilience amidst ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the uncertain East-West relations.