ROME, Italy — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with high U.S. officers and European leaders on Sunday in Rome, forward of a high-stakes cellphone name Monday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the warfare in Ukraine.
The discussions got here as Russia launched what Ukraine known as its largest drone barrage in opposition to Ukraine because the begin of its full-scale invasion in 2022, after the primary direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in years did not yield a ceasefire Friday.
Zelenskyy spoke with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the U.S. ambassador’s residence, after attending the inaugural Mass for Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Sq..
Zelenskyy mentioned on social media he had underscored the necessity for “real diplomacy” and reaffirmed Ukraine’s dedication to a “full and unconditional ceasefire.”
He mentioned they mentioned sanctions in opposition to Russia, bilateral commerce, protection cooperation and plans for the upcoming prisoner alternate with Russia that was agreed in talks between the 2 sides in Istanbul.
Trump has mentioned he plans to talk with Putin about stopping the “bloodbath” in Ukraine, after which communicate to Zelenskyy and leaders of varied NATO international locations.
Zelenskyy additionally met with the brand new pope after the Mass. “The authority and voice of the Holy See can play an important role in bringing this war to an end,” the Ukrainian president wrote on social media. He thanked the Vatican for its readiness to grow to be a platform for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
Rubio on Saturday mentioned the Vatican might be a venue for peace talks, taking on the Holy See’s long-standing supply after Leo vowed to personally make “every effort” to assist finish the warfare.
Forward of a gathering in Rome with Vance and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, EU Fee head Ursula Von der Leyen urged events to “push things forward.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned he spoke to Zelenskyy and Rubio on the sidelines of the pope’s inauguration. Merz mentioned he had agreed with the leaders of France and Britain “that we will speak again with the American president in preparation for this conversation.”
Merz advised reporters that “my firm impression is that both the Europeans and the Americans are determined to work together, but now also in a goal-oriented manner, to ensure that this terrible war ends soon.”
Putin spurned Zelenskyy’s supply to satisfy face-to-face in Turkey after he himself proposed direct negotiations — though not on the presidential degree — as an alternative choice to a 30-day ceasefire urged by Ukraine and its Western allies, together with the U.S.
The talks in Istanbul broke up after lower than two hours, though either side agreed on exchanging 1,000 prisoners of warfare every, based on the heads of each delegations. Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, mentioned on Ukrainian tv Saturday that the alternate might occur as early as subsequent week.
Russia on Sunday fired a complete of 273 exploding drones and decoys focusing on Ukraine’s Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk areas, Ukraine’s air power mentioned. Of these, 88 have been intercepted and 128 misplaced, seemingly being electronically jammed.
