Zelenskyy says Vatican meeting influenced Trump's stance
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy US told reporters US President Donald Trump could change his mind about Russia and the war in Ukraine after meeting him in the Vatican on April 26.
He recalled that during the first meeting between Russia and the US, the Moscow team said that Ukraine would never agree to a ceasefire because it wanted war. According to President Zelenskyy, the US position gradually changed.
“But after Saudi Arabia, the Americans began to doubt their words. The second thing they (Russians - ed.) said was, 'Let's sign with us, Ukrainians will never sign anything with you.' I am sure that after our meeting in the Vatican, President Trump began to look at everything a little differently. We will see. This is his vision, his choice in any case. I believe that we behaved constructively and decently, which is important,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that the Kremlin takes any proposal that does not come from them sharply. According to Zelenskyy, that will not change without strong sanctions and other steps to put pressure on Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy-Trump meeting
On April 26, Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump had a brief meeting in the Vatican. They arrived there for the farewell ceremony with Pope Francis.
The one-on-one meeting lasted only 15 minutes and took place in St. Peter's Basilica before the pontiff's funeral. Both leaders called the meeting productive.
This was Zelenskyy's first meeting with Trump after a clash at the White House on February 28.
According to the Ukrainian president, he and Trump discussed signing a minerals deal, sanctions packages against Russia, and air defense systems.
Read more about how the US strategy has changed after the Vatican meeting in RBC-Ukraine's article.
