Zelensky meets Vance, Rubio in Rome ahead of Trump-Putin call
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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is greeted by US V-P JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance prior to the inaugural Mass in St Peter's Square on May 18.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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US Vice-President J.D. Vance held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome on May 18 at a time Washington is pressing for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The pair were joined at Villa Taverna, the US ambassador’s residence, by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Mr Andriy Yermak, Mr Zelensky’s top aide, according to a White House pool report.
President Donald Trump has said he’ll hold a phone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on May 19 to discuss how to stop the “bloodbath” in Ukraine. He is then expected to speak with Mr Zelensky and various Nato members.
Mr Vance and Mr Zelenskiy earlier on May 18 met for the first time since their White House spat in February, smiling and shaking hands at the Vatican as the Holy See celebrated the enthronement of Pope Leo XIV.
World leaders and other dignitaries have descended on Rome for the second time in a few weeks – this time to celebrate the first Mass of Leo XIV, who was chosen as Pope in May – and it’s created an opportunity for impromptu diplomacy.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni planned to host talks on May 18 with Vance and EU President Ursula von der Leyen.
Ms Meloni been pushing for a meeting between the Brussels-based leader and the US administration as a trade war looms, and their proximity on May 18 may have helped pave the way.
Delegations from more than 100 countries were on hand at the Vatican on May 18.
Mr Zelensky was greeted with applause as he arrived in St Peter’s Square, and Pope Leo was cheered as he took a popemobile tour through the piazza.
The pontiff is expected to meet later on May 18 with Ukraine’s leader. Pope Leo will meet with Mr Vance on May 19, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported, citing Vatican sources.
Mr Zelensky was seated at the Mass next to Dr von der Leyen, with Mr Vance close by.
As the first US-born Pope, 69-year-old Leo has so far focused his message on achieving peace in Ukraine and Gaza, signaling that he might continue – or expand – the geopolitical engagement of his predecessor, Pope Francis.
During the Mass, Pope Leo vowed to work for a united church and a reconciled world.
“We still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest,” he said during the Mass of Inauguration of his pontificate.
Pope Leo mentioned “new hostilities” in Myanmar as well as the conflicts in Gaza, where “children, family and the elderly are reduced to starvation”, and Ukraine, which he said awaits “negotiations for a just and lasting peace”.
Televised clash
President Donald Trump, Mr Zelensky and Mr Vance last met at the White House in February, when they clashed over the future of peace in Ukraine in a televised meeting described as one of the worst diplomatic incidents in recent history.
During that meeting, Mr Vance asked Mr Zelensky if he had “ever said thank you once” for billions of dollars in aid delivered to the war-torn country by the US since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky met again in the Vatican last month at the funeral of Pope Francis, a brief discussion that the White House described as hopeful and Mr Zelensky called “substantive”.
Negotiations in Istanbul last week between Ukrainian and Russian teams failed to yield a breakthrough on a potential ceasefire. BLOOMBERG
