What Zelensky told Trump during ‘historic’ 15-minute conversation ahead of the Pope’s funeral

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky pushed US president Donald Trump to take a harder line with Russian despot Vladimir Putin during their historic conversation at St. Peter’s Basilica. 

Following a disastrous meeting in the White House in February, in which Zelensky was unceremoniously booted out of the seat of American power, the two world leaders met face-to-face for the first time in two months at Pope Francis’ funeral last week.

While both men were applauded for finally sitting down together, little was known about the content of their conversation until now. 

According to Axios, Zelensky told Trump that Putin would not be moved on his position on the invasion of Ukraine until he was forced to. 

A source told the outlet that Trump admitted he might have to change his approach to dealing with Putin. 

Hours later, Trump criticised Putin in a Truth Social post for attacking Kyiv with a missile strike, writing: ‘It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through “Banking” or “Secondary Sanctions?” Too many people are dying!!!’ 

Zelensky also asked Trump to return to his original position on an unconditional ceasefire as a foundation for peace talks, which a source said Trump appeared to agree to. 

The Ukrainian leader wasn’t the only one to make demands of the other, with Axios reporting that the firebrand Republican pushed Zelensky to sign the US-Ukraine minerals deal as soon as possible. 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky pushed US president Donald Trump to take a harder line with Russian despot Vladimir Putin during their historic chat at St. Peter’s Basilica

Soldiers of the 115th brigade air defense atiaaerea fire drones in Lyman area, Ukraine, April 24, 2025

Firefighters extinguish the fire caused by the Shahed drone attack on the Ukrainian Red Cross base in Dobropillia, Donetsk Oblast Ukraine on April 30, 2025

One person suggested that the reason the Vatican meeting was more positive than their White House meeting was that vice president JD Vance and White House envoy Steve Witkoff were not present. 

It is not currently clear how long Trump will hold up his more critical stance towards Russia.

Last night, Trump told ABC News that though Putin ‘could be tapping me on a little bit’, he still believed the despot was keen to end the invasion. 

It comes after Trump said he believes that Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea in order to secure peace terms with Russia.

‘Oh, I think so,’ the U.S. president told reporters in New Jersey following the Vatican meeting, asked whether he thought the his Ukrainian counterpart was ready to ‘give up’ the territory.

The comments came after the pair met on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral, their first face-to-face since the disastrous White House summit in February.

Trump said that during their talks at St. Peter’s Basilica they had ‘briefly’ discussed the fate of the Black Sea peninsula.

He insisted that Putin should ‘stop shooting’ and sign an agreement to end the grinding war.

Zelensky hailed the recent summit as a ‘good meeting…that has the potential to become historic’, while the Washington said it was ‘very productive’.

A serviceman of the 68th Oleksa Dovbush Separate Jaeger Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fires a BM-21 Grad multiple-launch rocket system toward Russian troops

Rescuers work at a site of the Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine in this handout picture released April 29, 2025

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow today that President Vladimir Putin (pictured right) supports the initiative to establish a ceasefire, but added that it could not be resolved quickly

Earlier today, Russia said the conflict in Ukraine is ‘too complicated’ to end quickly, dashing hopes that a lasting ceasefire or peace deal could soon be struck and likely angering Donald Trump, who has urged both sides to stop the’ bloodbath’. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow today that President Vladimir Putin supports the initiative to establish a lasting ceasefire.

‘But before going for it, a whole series of questions need to be answered and a whole series of nuances need to be resolved,’ he said. 

He went on to claim Putin had expressed a willingness for direct talks with Ukraine, but that there had been no answer yet from Kyiv.

‘We understand that Washington is willing to achieve a quick success in this process… Unfortunately, we haven’t heard any statements in this context from Kyiv. So we don’t know whether Kyiv is ready or not,’ Peskov told reporters.

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