The White House said their discussion was “very productive” and that more details would be released later. The meeting lasted about 15 minutes inside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican just before they took their seats for the outdoor funeral service. Zelenskyy said “good meeting” on social media after the funeral.

A meeting has taken place between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the burial of Pope Francis at the Vatican. French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer also took part in the talks,

The two world leaders also met in late February at the Oval Office. The meeting was contentious, unlike this one.

The president’s comments came after he said Crimea “will stay with Russia,” a position backed by the mayor of Kyiv, who conceded that his country may have to give up territory.

President Donald Trump has set a personal deadline for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war, he told reporters Thursday. “I have my own deadline,” Trump said. “I have my own deadline, and we want it to be fast.

The leaked American ceasefire proposal would end sanctions on Russia, freeze the front line and see America formally recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The intelligence officer, based in Kyiv, does not hide his disdain.