ATHENS

Rome became the center of intense diplomatic activity Saturday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Western leaders and EU officials gathered in the city for the funeral of Pope Francis.

The day began with a significant meeting between US President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy. Posting on X afterward, Zelenskyy described it as a "very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results."

Following the funeral, Trump and Zelenskyy were joined by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron for separate four-way discussions on peace efforts.

Zelenskyy also held individual meetings with Starmer, Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. According to Starmer’s office, he and Zelenskyy agreed to work intensively to maintain positive momentum in peace talks aimed at ending the war with Russia.

Trump also briefly spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, agreeing to hold a more extensive meeting later. Von der Leyen separately met with Zelenskyy, discussing Ukraine’s progress toward EU membership.

Posting on X after her meeting with Zelenskyy, von der Leyen emphasized: "Ukraine can count on our support at the negotiation table to achieve a just and lasting peace."