What did they talk about at the funeral of the pope
US President Donald Trump claims that Russia and Ukraine are close to resolving the conflict. After a short conversation between the owner of the oval cabinet with the Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in the Vatican, the White House announced a “very productive conversation”, and Kyiv was about a “symbolic” meeting that has a chance to become “historical”. In Moscow, they also assure the readiness to conclude a “deal” and do not mind direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side. Although, as noted by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, « there are certain details that should be finalized. » Drenches in the media of existing peaceful plans show that there are really enough details.
The funeral of the Pope Francis, which gathered about half a million people, including the leaders of many states, became the main international event on Saturday, April 26 (details about the funeral See « Kommersant » dated April 27). However, judging by the reaction of the world media, the farewell ceremony with a pontiff nearly overshadowed a short, literally 15-minute, meeting of Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky in the Cathedral of St. Peter. However, it is unlikely that Pope Francis, who consistently advocated peace between Russia and Ukraine, would be strongly wounded by this. What specifically during this conversation was agreed by the presidents, two months ago, publicly quarreling in the walls of the White House, is unknown. However, it was clear that it was about Ukrainian settlement.
Despite the extremely limited conversation, both sides eventually responded about him in positive tones. The White House Communications Director Stephen Chun, without going into details, called him “very productive”.
And Vladimir Zelensky even described the meeting as a “symbolic”, which has the potential to become “historical”.
“Complete and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and long world … Thank you, President Donald Trump, ”wrote in his Telegram channel Mr. Zelensky.
The office of the President of Ukraine hurried to announce longer negotiations between the two leaders after the end of the farewell ceremony with Francis, but Mr. Trump flew to the United States immediately after the funeral.
It is noteworthy that Donald Trump, who usually loves to quickly comment on what is happening in his social network Truth Social, this time did not write anything. He published only two photographs, in which he was captured by Saint Peter sitting with Mr. Zelensky in the middle of the Cathedral of St. Peter. But after negotiations with the Ukrainian leader, the head of the White House attacked an article in The New York Times, where his policy regarding the conflict was described as a pro -Russian one. In the same post, he made a complaint against the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin for the missile shelling of Ukraine. “This makes me think that he may not want to stop the war, but simply leads me by the nose,” Donald Trump wrote and threatened Russia with “banking measures” and “secondary sanctions”.
Criticism of Vladimir Putin is a rather rare phenomenon for Mr. Trump.
Trying to understand what it was, a number of analysts suggested that in this way he tried to show himself an equidistant mediator. Moreover, before that for several days in a row, the US president and representatives of the White House harshly criticized Vladimir Zelensky.
Be that as it may, according to Estonia President Alar Karis, who managed to talk with Donald Trump in the Vatican, he assured him that « the decision is close. »
Mr. Trump himself, before arriving at the funeral of the Pope, said that Moscow and Kyiv were “very close to the conclusion of the transaction, and now both parties should meet at a very high level to complete it.”
The coming week will be critical of resolving the conflict, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In Moscow, the transaction does not speak about the “proximity”, but emphasize the willingness to conclude it.
So, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov in an interview with the TV channel CBS News He noted that the parties « move in the right direction. » “We are ready to achieve a transaction. But there are certain details that should be finalized. We are busy with this process, ”he said.
Moreover, Vladimir Putin recently allowed direct negotiations with Kyiv. The Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov then confirmed this, adding that Ukraine should first « legally clear the obstacles to such contacts. » Thus, Mr. Peskov recalled the existence of the decree of Vladimir Zelensky from October 2022, which approves the decision of the Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine on the impossibility of negotiations with Vladimir Putin. The assistant to the President of Russia, Yuri Ushakov,, for his part, also noted that in the negotiations of Mr. Putin with the special delight of the head of the White House, Steve Whitkoff in Moscow on April 25, speech, in particular, was about the resumption of direct negotiations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
In recent days, Mr. Zelensky hinted at the readiness for such negotiations. Although not as definitely as they did in Moscow. In addition, French President Emmanuel Macron after contacts with Donald Trump, Vladimir Zelensky and Britain Prime Minister Kirmer at the Francis’s funeral that the Ukrainian leader was ready for unconditional ceasefire.
Another thing is that the details of the transaction, which Sergei Lavrov spoke about, are still a key obstacle to its conclusion. It is officially unknown what the Donald Trump plan consists in. However, the Western media recently published the points of the agreement developed in Washington, and then betrayed the publicity of the “adjustments” introduced into it by Kiev and European allies.
According to leaks, the American version implies the recognition of the states of de jure Crimea by Russian, as well as de facto territories of four regions, taken under control of the army of the Russian Federation. In addition, the deal implies a refusal to accept Ukraine in NATO, but does not limit the Ukrainian armed forces in no way and does not prohibit it to enter other unions. The Ukrainian-European version proposes to leave for later the settlement of territorial issues and makes a complete ceasefire and provide Kyiv with iron guarantees with the participation of the United States (the American version does not imply guarantees of security from Washington).
What exactly does the alleged transaction look like after all the numerous contacts that were held in the last days. According to Dmitry Peskov, the United States in negotiations express many elements that coincide with the position of Russia. However, he assured the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, you should not go into details now, since « negotiations cannot be publicly conducted. »
