Trump meets Zelensky in Rome after saying Russia, Ukraine 'very close to a deal'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump met briefly on Saturday in Rome on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral, the Ukrainian presidency announced, after the White House said Kyiv and Moscow were "very close to a deal".
"The meeting took place and is already over," Zelensky's spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov told journalists without elaborating.
The White House said the meeting between Trump and Zelensky ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis was "very productive".
"President Trump and President Zelensky met privately today and had a very productive discussion," said White House communications director Steven Cheung, saying more details would follow.
- Trump says Russia, Ukraine 'very close to a deal' -
Trump had said Friday that Russia and Ukraine were "very close" to a ceasefire deal, and urged the two sides to meet and finalize it.
"A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to 'finish it off'," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform shortly after arriving in Rome, where he will attend Pope Francis's funeral.
Source: Agence France Presse
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