NYT: A Ray of Hope for Ukraine After Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting in Vatican

Something seems to be changing in the Ukrainian issue following the meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday morning (April 27, 2025) at the Vatican. Amid the echoes of Pope Francis’s funeral, a significant development occurred. “It makes me think he doesn’t want to stop the war; he’s just playing with me,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after his encounter with Zelenskyy during the Pope’s funeral, adding that perhaps Putin should be dealt with differently, including through more sanctions. According to the New York Times, this statement has sparked hope in Ukraine and represents a small victory for Zelenskyy. The United States has been pressuring Ukraine to accept a peace plan that appears partly as a gift to Moscow. This proposal would force Kyiv to abandon its NATO aspirations, offer only indefinite security guarantees to Ukraine, and see the U.S. officially recognize Crimea as Russian. Ukraine has rejected this agreement, described by the Trump administration as their final offer. However, Ukrainians now see a glimmer of hope that Trump won’t force them into an unfavorable peace plan. For the first time, Trump openly addressed recent attacks in Ukraine where 12 people were killed and nearly 90 injured. ‘Vladimir, stop,’ he wrote on Truth Social, one of the rare times he criticized the Russian president. Exceptional photos from the Vatican followed, showing both leaders seated in chairs, leaning towards each other in what appeared to be equal dialogue. This contrasts sharply with their disastrous February meeting in the Oval Office, which ended abruptly and temporarily froze all American aid. Despite fears of Trump changing his mind, the White House described Saturday’s conversation as a ‘very productive discussion.’ Many in Ukraine see Trump’s post-meeting statements as vindication, acknowledging that Putin might not always tell the truth. Since annexing Crimea in 2014, Russia has violated numerous peace agreements in Eastern Ukraine. Thus, any peace deal must include strong security guarantees, according to Kyiv, even if NATO membership remains on hold. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated it is too early to discuss terms of any peace agreement, emphasizing that negotiations are private. Meanwhile, Ukraine counters with its own plan, envisioning a European peacekeeping force supported by the U.S.