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A Fleeting Encounter in Rome: Trump, Zelensky, and the Shadows of a Broader Conflict

 

The unexpected death of Pope Francis created a rare and charged encounter between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome, marking their first face-to-face meeting since their ill-fated Oval Office conversation in February. Their 15-minute discussion was described by both sides as productive, with Zelensky notably calling it potentially “historic.”

Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to… pic.twitter.com/q4ZhVXCjw0

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 26, 2025

 

This meeting took place at a delicate moment. Vladimir Putin’s strategic pressure has nudged the United States president closer toward Ukraine, yet Zelensky is acutely aware that this shift is unlikely to alter the deeper trajectory of the war. Even a promising meeting with Trump cannot mask the bleak realities Ukraine faces.

 

 

French President Emmanuel Macron appeared eager to join the meeting but was firmly rebuffed by Trump, a move that some have seen as fortuitous.

 

It was the Europeans, after all, who had reportedly helped coach Zelensky ahead of his previous, disastrous White House visit. In this light, Zelensky’s optimism that his latest conversation with Trump could be “potentially historic” might well owe something to divine intervention. As Zelensky wrote on X, “Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.”

 

Meanwhile, Putin continues to weigh the costs of prolonging the war against the severe damage it is inflicting on Russia’s economy. Should a ceasefire and a negotiated settlement be reached, it could dramatically strengthen his position. In Moscow, he would easily be able to present any pause in fighting as a victory, regardless of the devastating human and economic toll the war has exacted from the Russian people.

 

Zelensky, on the other hand, faces a far more perilous future. Accepting a ceasefire that cedes large portions of Ukrainian territory would almost certainly spell the end of his presidency. Putin is undoubtedly preparing for such an outcome, ready to exploit any political chaos that might follow in Kyiv.

 

Looking more broadly, the future for Ukraine — and indeed the wider West — appears grim. NATO has revealed itself to be less formidable than hoped, a paper tiger just as Putin always believed. Despite the lofty promises enshrined in Article 5, there remains deep skepticism that NATO nations would truly commit their own soldiers to defend a member state under direct attack, particularly in Eastern Europe where future Russian aggression is likely to be focused.

 

Rather than focusing blame on Donald Trump for the current dangerous state of affairs, European countries must finally get serious about defense, something they have neglected since the end of the Cold War. This would require massive investment in military capabilities, diverting funds away from social programs, international aid, and other ever-expanding government initiatives. Beyond just money, it demands preparing Western societies themselves to accept the sacrifices and hardships that serious national defense entails, a difficult prospect after decades of relative comfort and expanding welfare states.

 

The alternative to facing these hard truths is starkly visible in Ukraine. As harrowing as the current conflict is, there have been few credible alternatives proposed that would end the bloodshed without simply emboldening future aggressions. The image of Trump and Zelensky, hunched together in quiet conversation inside St. Peter’s Basilica, may well linger in the collective memory for years to come — a haunting symbol of a world at a crossroads.

 

  Adpated by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph  2025-04-28

 

 

 

It was indeed historic because the POTUS was wearing a blue suit instead of black

 Not even buttoned.

No behaviour at least

I find it horrifying that a (chance?) 15min discussion could result in something historic?

 

You have to assume both were fully briefed, all details had been thrashed out over weeks and days, and this was just for show.

I don't believe that Trump will ever pivot from being Putin's poodle to actually supporting Ukraine. 

He has these little blips where it looks to the very naive that he may see the light, but it's always vapor. 

Putin does NOT want peace! 

You can't have peace negotiations with such a person. 

The only hope is to FORCE them into needing that.

Their continued maximalist goals going back decades remain intact.

A puppet Ukraine and then taking over Moldova, the Baltics, and even Poland if NATO remains fallen apart thanks to the maga fascists.

7 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

I find it horrifying that a (chance?) 15min discussion could result in something historic?

 

You have to assume both were fully briefed, all details had been thrashed out over weeks and days, and this was just for show.

It did make an iconic photograph. But can't see how it changes the war. Trump is still with his broken record garbage for the most part.

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

It did make an iconic photograph. But can't see how it changes the war. Trump is still with his broken record garbage for the most part.

 

The driving force is Trump's desperate desire to be awarded the Nobel peace prize......if he can bring an end to the war (or be seen to)  he may well be in with a shout.

 

Once the chance of the peace prize has gone he will just walk away.

3 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

The driving force is Trump's desperate desire to be awarded the Nobel peace prize......if he can bring an end to the war (or be seen to)  he may well be in with a shout.

 

Once the chance of the peace prize has gone he will just walk away.

He does want that but it'll never happen. 

6 hours ago, Social Media said:

Looking more broadly, the future for Ukraine — and indeed the wider West — appears grim. NATO has revealed itself to be less formidable than hoped, a paper tiger just as Putin always believed. Despite the lofty promises enshrined in Article 5, there remains deep skepticism that NATO nations would truly commit their own soldiers to defend a member state under direct attack, particularly in Eastern Europe where future Russian aggression is likely to be focused.

This is the key para. above. Pretty gloomy.

 

Thank goodness we live in Thailand, so clever at twisting and turning in the breeze.

Just now, Jingthing said:

He does want that but it'll never happen. 

 

God forbid that it does.......however.....I'd be happy to see him win it, if it resulted in an end to the war.

3 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

God forbid that it does.......however.....I'd be happy to see him win it, if it resulted in an end to the war.

He's not on a path to end the war.

The only thing Putin will accept is a surrender by Ukraine setting the Russians up for eventual complete control of Ukraine and more.

The Nobel people may have been dumb with the Obama prize granted, but they won't award a total capitulation to Putin with the prize. Impossible. 

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

He's not on a path to end the war.

The only thing Putin will accept is a surrender by Ukraine setting the Russians up for eventual complete control of Ukraine and more.

The Nobel people may have been dumb with the Obama prize granted, but they won't award a total capitulation to Putin with the prize. Impossible. 

Trump repeatedly claims the loss of Crimea to the Russians was Obama's fault and that he let it happen.  Simple solution is Trump helps Ukraine recovers all of its lost territories then he can claim he's better than Obama.

Trump's STUNNING 5-Word SNUB To Macron Before Meeting Zelensky At Pope Funeral | Watch

 

 

Russian missile strikes after Trump-Zelenskyy meeting

 

 

Trump and Zelensky hold 'productive' talks at Pope's funeral

 

 

If this meeting unlocked the deadlock, then the whole exercise of a state funeral was worth every single Euro! 

Don't give up any land Zelensky. Russia occupies land roughly the size of the entire east coast of America.

They are invaders and should get out.

13 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

If this meeting unlocked the deadlock, then the whole exercise of a state funeral was worth every single Euro! 

Trump 'thinks' Zelensky ready to give up Crimea to Russia

US President Donald Trump has said he thinks his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky is willing to give up Crimea to Russia as part of a peace deal - despite Kyiv's previous rejections of any such proposal.

Asked if he thought the Ukrainian president was ready to cede control of its southern peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, Trump replied: "I think so."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20z20kyvxxo

9 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Trump's STUNNING 5-Word SNUB To Macron Before Meeting Zelensky At Pope Funeral | Watch

 

 

An important part selling: control the mark.  He shooed away Macron to keep him from distracting Z.

 

14 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

If this meeting unlocked the deadlock, then the whole exercise of a state funeral was worth every single Euro! 

It won’t the great betrayal of America and every principle we are supposed to stand for won’t change under this administration unfortunately.

22 hours ago, Social Media said:

there remains deep skepticism that NATO nations would truly commit their own soldiers to defend a member state under direct attack, particularly in Eastern Europe where future Russian aggression is likely to be focused

 

Kind of reminds me of the French in WWII. With their Maginot Line they were like a huffing and puffing cowardly rooster, all show and no content. About this, Trump is right. It is time Europe grows a pair and stops relying on the US. Europe has been cashing it in while giving a big show and likely it is now weaker than ever and Putin prolly now has all the proof he needs if he were to start invading other countries. Years of underfunding their own militaries while outsourcing their security to the U.S. have left Europe brittle and unprepared.

 

The idiom goes, "learn history well in order not to repeat its mistakes". Right now things look like WWII in its beginnings with the German blitzkrieg in Ukraine. I have said it over and over, if things continue China will no doubt attack Taiwan. It would be a very strategic move after all. If the war is engulfed on two fronts then the West is in a precarious position to take it on... especially with the European Union as fat and slow to act as it currently is. And now with China and Russia getting closer by the day, it’s even more obvious the West is being outplayed.

40 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

Right now things look like WWII in its beginnings with the German blitzkrieg in Ukraine.

 sorry should read... german blitzkrieg in france... which kinda resembles what russia attempted on ukraine

It's all just more NOISE unless and until Trump actually takes action to pressure Putin as opposed to his endless bullying of Zelinsky.

At this point, historic Vatican photo op or not, there is no good reason to believe that will ever happen.

 

On 4/27/2025 at 7:04 PM, Social Media said:

Rather than focusing blame on Donald Trump for the current dangerous state of affairs, European countries must finally get serious about defense, something they have neglected since the end of the Cold War. This would require massive investment in military capabilities, diverting funds away from social programs, international aid, and other ever-expanding government initiatives. Beyond just money, it demands preparing Western societies themselves to accept the sacrifices and hardships that serious national defense entails, a difficult prospect after decades of relative comfort and expanding welfare states.

Damn Skippy! Europe is finally going to learn that freedom ain't free. 🤠 Let the offended throat clearing and harrumphing begin.

The historic part could be that it is the official moment that the US goes the full distance away from its former Western allies and throws in full-tilt with Putin.

An even newer world order.

 

 

9 hours ago, mrwebb8825 said:

Damn Skippy! Europe is finally going to learn that freedom ain't free. 🤠 Let the offended throat clearing and harrumphing begin.

Damm skippy guess ya forgot ww2 ehh perhaps you forgot what nation profited the most ehh?guess you forgot that the nations that paid the heaviest price do indeed remember and don’t want a repeat ehh? 

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Damm skippy guess ya forgot ww2 ehh perhaps you forgot what nation profited the most ehh?guess you forgot that the nations that paid the heaviest price do indeed remember and don’t want a repeat ehh? 

You mean China and Russia and Poland and Germany and Japan? 

1 minute ago, Hanaguma said:

You mean China and Russia and Poland and Germany and Japan? 

China no they ended up with mao…..Poland as per % of population lost more lives than any other nation they suffered the most and it took them decades to get out from under the Russian boot.the leaders tempered by the two world wars were in my opinion wise in the sense of helping Germany and japan rejoin the world in a positive manner stamping out the militaristic side of bushido and stamping out the Nazi ideals.in my opinion it was and is a good move.imagine for a moment if Russia was an open democratic nation trading peacefully with the world….

14 hours ago, Tug said:

Damm skippy guess ya forgot ww2 ehh perhaps you forgot what nation profited the most ehh?guess you forgot that the nations that paid the heaviest price do indeed remember and don’t want a repeat ehh? 

Wanna compare ehh?

Who paid for the reconstruction of Europe after ww2?

 

On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948. It became known as the Marshall Plan, named for Secretary of State George Marshall, who in 1947 proposed that the United States provide economic assistance to restore the economic infrastructure of postwar Europe.

 

54 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

Wanna compare ehh?

Who paid for the reconstruction of Europe after ww2?

 

On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948. It became known as the Marshall Plan, named for Secretary of State George Marshall, who in 1947 proposed that the United States provide economic assistance to restore the economic infrastructure of postwar Europe.

 

Yup wise move and just we’re did we get the money to rebuild Europe?why by financing the war thats were ….furthermore by helping Germany and japan rejoin the world we created wonderful allies and both countries evolved into extremely positive influences on the world stage.the fact remains China ended up with mao a tragedy for the Chinese people and Poland by % of deaths / population size lost the most killed followed by Russia.btw mr putin is verbatim using the same bs excuses as hitler to justify his criminal war on his neighbor….thats just another reason I don’t and cannot understand how any American can support Mr trump.