Former President Donald Trump voiced serious concerns about the possibility of a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine shortly after attending Pope Francis’ funeral. On social media, Trump posted, “Putin had no justification for firing missiles into cities, towns, and civilian zones recently,” hinting at his growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s comments came just hours after he met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican. Their meeting took place before the funeral ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica and marked their first direct conversation since a tense exchange at the Oval Office earlier this year.
A Symbolic but Tense Meeting
Official photos released by Ukrainian authorities showed Trump and Zelenskyy sitting across from each other inside the historic basilica. Both leaders locked eyes during their discussion, signaling the seriousness of their meeting.
Zelenskyy later described the encounter as “symbolic” and suggested it could turn into a “historic” event if it leads to real progress. He posted on X, “We spoke directly. We hope for progress on every issue we raised.” Zelenskyy added that Ukraine’s main goals remain protecting lives, achieving a full ceasefire, and creating lasting peace.
Despite the meeting’s friendly appearance, the leaders’ past public criticisms of each other still linger. Saturday’s meeting seemed to offer a brief hope for advancing peace talks. However, Trump’s remarks after leaving the funeral highlighted fresh doubts about the chances of reaching an agreement anytime soon.
Trump’s Increasing Frustration With Putin
Following his meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump took to social media again to criticize Putin. He blamed the Russian leader for deadly missile strikes on civilian areas. Trump wrote, “It seems Putin doesn’t want peace. Maybe he’s just stringing me along.”
He continued, suggesting the United States might need to consider “banking measures” or “secondary sanctions” against Russia. “Too many people are dying!” he added, reflecting his rising anger over the ongoing violence.
Trump’s statements revealed a shift from the optimism he showed just a day earlier. On Friday, he had said that US envoy Steve Witkoff’s talks in Moscow left the two sides “very close to a deal.” Now, that hope appears to be fading quickly.
Peace Efforts Continue Despite Setbacks
Even as Trump voiced his doubts, he and his team have continued working to push for a peace deal. Advisers have been holding talks with European and Middle Eastern partners, trying to find new ways to pressure Russia and Ukraine toward the negotiating table.
The war, now stretching into its fourth year, has devastated Ukraine’s economy and displaced millions of people. Russia’s aggressive military actions have strained international alliances and placed global security at risk.
One major hurdle to any deal remains Russian President Putin himself. Facing an International Criminal Court warrant for crimes against humanity, Putin skipped the funeral events in Rome. Meanwhile, his forces have ramped up attacks across Ukraine, including a missile strike in Kyiv that killed at least 12 civilians earlier this week.
Disputes Over Territory Remain a Major Challenge
Since Russia launched its full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it has seized large parts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. The fate of Crimea, annexed by Russia back in 2014, continues to be one of the most sensitive and difficult issues in peace talks.
During discussions about a possible agreement, Trump suggested that Ukraine might need to accept the loss of Crimea in order to secure a wider peace. However, President Zelenskyy rejected this idea firmly, reminding everyone that Ukraine’s constitution forbids giving up any territory.
“We will never surrender Crimea or any other part of our land,” Zelenskyy said in a statement after their meeting. He stressed that true peace can only come through justice, not through concessions.
The Road Ahead
For now, the prospect of an immediate end to the war looks bleak. Trump’s increasingly frustrated tone suggests that even top-level talks are failing to bring the sides closer together. Meanwhile, Ukrainians continue to suffer from Russian airstrikes, and Western countries remain divided over how best to pressure Moscow.
Many world leaders are now watching to see whether Trump’s influence can reignite real negotiations. But as violence escalates and distrust grows, hopes for a fast peace seem more distant than ever.