Zelenskyy meets with Rubio, Vance in Rome
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy in Rome Sunday for ongoing peace talks as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues.
“During our talks we discussed negotiations in Istanbul to where the Russians sent a low-level delegation of non-decision-makers. I reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to be engaged in real diplomacy and underscored the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy shared on X of the meeting.
“We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange. Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war. And, of course, we talked about our joint steps to achieve a just and durable peace,” he continued.
ZELENSKYY SPEAKS WITH TRUMP, ALLIES AFTER RUSSIA PEACE TALKS BROKER NO CEASEFIRE
VATICAN CITY, VATICAN, MAY 18: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) and United States Vice President JD Vance (R) wait for the arrival of Pope Leo XIV for a Mass celebrating the inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, on May 18, 2025. (Photo by Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images)
World leaders converged in Rome this weekend for Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass at the Vatican on Sunday, with Vance leading the U.S. delegation. Zelenskyy also attended the mass.
The meeting comes after Russian and Ukrainian officials held their first direct peace talks in years last week in Istanbul. The two sides, however, failed to reach a ceasefire agreement for a war that has raged since February of 2022.
Hours after the meeting, a Russian drone strike hit a passenger bus in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday.
TRUMP SAYS PUTIN IS ‘TIRED’ OF RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russia and Ukraine did agree to a large prisoner swap during the meeting last week, despite not reaching a ceasefire.
President Donald Trump said on Friday, during his four-day tour of the Middle East, that he wants to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war “as soon as we can set it up.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) is greeted by US Vice President JD Vance (R) and Seond Lady Usha Vance prior to a Holy Mass for the Beginning of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, in St Peter’s square in The Vatican on May 18, 2025. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JACQUELYN MARTIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump added in a Truth Social post on Saturday that he will speak to Putin by phone on Monday, which will be followed by another call to Zelenskyy and NATO leaders as the U.S. continues to work to broker a peace deal between the two nations as negotiations drag.
TRUMP, AFTER SKIPPING RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS, WANTS TO MEET PUTIN ‘AS SOON AS WE CAN SET IT UP’
“I WILL BE SPEAKING, BY TELEPHONE, TO PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN OF RUSSIA ON MONDAY, AT 10:00 A.M. THE SUBJECTS OF THE CALL WILL BE, STOPPING THE ‘BLOODBATH’ THAT IS KILLING, ON AVERAGE, MORE THAN 5000 RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS A WEEK,” Trump posted on his Truth Social Saturday.
ROME, ITALY – MAY 18: From left, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose prior to a meeting at the Chigi Palace on May 18, 2025 in Rome, Italy. U.S. Vice President JD Vance is in Rome to attend the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin – Pool/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
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“HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE A PRODUCTIVE DAY, A CEASEFIRE WILL TAKE PLACE, AND THIS VERY VIOLENT WAR, A WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, WILL END,” Trump said. “GOD BLESS US ALL!!!”
Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.