Today's News: Trump and Zelensky Meeting at Pope Francis' Funeral
Trump afterward criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for continued attacks on civilians and raised the prospect of new sanctions.
Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine/Getty Images
Overview
Date: April 26, 2025
Topic: Trump and Zelensky Meeting at Pope Francis' Funeral Amid Ukraine Peace Efforts
Summary: During Pope Francis' funeral in Rome, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a brief but significant meeting, marking their first face-to-face interaction since a contentious White House encounter. Discussions focused on achieving a full ceasefire and pursuing a lasting peace in Ukraine. Trump afterward criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for continued attacks on civilians and raised the prospect of new sanctions, signaling a harder stance as U.S.-backed peace talks remain fraught with challenges.
Sources
The New York Times: Trump Administration Live Updates: President Meets With Zelensky, Says Putin Might Not Be Serious About Peace
CNN: Trump criticizes Putin after meeting with Zelensky: ‘Maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war’
NBC News: Trump questions Putin's commitment to ending Ukraine war
Fox News: Trump blasts Putin, questioning if Russian leader wants peace or is just 'tapping me along'
The Washington Post: Trump meets Zelensky, then threatens new sanctions against Russia
The Wall Street Journal: Trump, Zelensky Meet for First Time Since Oval Office Shouting Match
Key Points
Trump and Zelensky met briefly at the Vatican, discussing a ceasefire and future peace negotiations.
Trump expressed increased frustration with Putin after Russia’s deadly missile strikes on Kyiv, suggesting tougher sanctions might be necessary.
Both Trump and Zelensky publicly characterized the meeting as positive, with hopes it could lead to historic outcomes.
Trump emphasized that U.S. proposals aimed to secure peace, while Zelensky reiterated demands for a full and unconditional ceasefire.
Trump blamed prior administrations, especially Barack Obama and Joe Biden, for the original crisis over Crimea and the ongoing Ukraine war.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times revealed the U.S.-backed peace plan favored Russia by recognizing seized territories and noted Zelensky countered with a reparations-focused proposal.
CNN detailed the “Ukraine Deal Framework,” which proposes robust security guarantees and a monitoring role for the U.S., excluding restrictions on Ukraine’s military size.
NBC News highlighted bipartisan Senate support in the U.S. for imposing additional sanctions on Russia.
Fox News emphasized Trump’s earlier optimism that a peace deal could be completed quickly and noted his criticism of Putin’s recent missile attacks.
The Washington Post reported that European leaders worked on an alternative peace proposal more aligned with Ukraine’s demands.
The Wall Street Journal described the visual diplomacy at the funeral, including Trump’s positioning near pro-Ukraine leaders and his minimal interactions with traditional EU allies.
Contrasting Details
The New York Times portrayed Trump’s shift toward criticizing Putin as a notable departure from prior attempts to pressure Zelensky; Fox News and NBC News framed Trump’s stance as consistent with ongoing frustration toward both Ukraine and Russia.
CNN described Trump’s peace efforts as facing internal U.S. frustrations due to slow progress, while The Washington Post suggested Trump’s peace push was increasingly out of step with European allies' strategies.
The Wall Street Journal focused more on diplomatic optics and Trump’s interactions at the funeral, while CNN and NBC News emphasized substantive issues in peace negotiations.
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