Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called his brief meeting with Donald Trump in the Vatican a historic turning point in their dialogue. The Ukrainian leader made this statement in an interview with American blogger Laura Loomer, as reported by RBC-Ukraine citing Trump's post on Truth Social.
From conflict to dialogue
The meeting took place in April 2025 in Rome. Zelenskyy admitted that the format of the conversation was extremely concise — just 15–20 minutes, yet this short period allowed for a radical change in the nature of the relationship between the two leaders.
"It was a short meeting, but I have always said that, in my opinion, it was a historic moment because in 15–20 minutes we changed our relationship," Zelenskyy emphasized.
The key factor in the success, according to the Ukrainian president, was the confidential one-on-one format. In his words, it was precisely the ability to speak without intermediaries that allowed them to find common ground after a serious conflict that had occurred earlier.
Aftermath of the White House scandal
During the interview, Loomer reminded Zelenskyy of the high-profile incident that occurred in February 2025 in the Oval Office. At that time, US Vice President JD Vance suggested giving diplomacy a chance to resolve the war, to which Zelenskyy responded with a refusal, arguing that such a scenario was impossible.
Relations between the leaders were strained precisely after this episode. The journalist asked the President of Ukraine how he managed to establish contact with his former rival after the White House scandal.
Zelenskyy replied that it was precisely the Vatican meeting that became the bridge allowing a transition from confrontation to cooperation. "I am very happy because the lives of many people depend on such relationships and such dialogue," the head of state noted.
New steps in negotiations
Against the backdrop of the restored dialogue with the American side, Zelenskyy confirmed his intention to visit the US in the near future. Prior to this statement, the Ukrainian leader held talks with special envoys of Donald Trump — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
It also became known that several new ideas for conducting negotiations with Russia have been formulated in Washington. These initiatives could become the basis for the next stage of diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the conflict.
