Updated 17:39
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram channel that his meeting with US Vice President J.D. Vance and Senator Marco Rubio in Rome was “good,” sharing two photos from the encounter.
Zelenskyy said they discussed recent negotiations in Istanbul, where Russia sent a low-level delegation without decision-making power. He reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness for genuine diplomacy and emphasized the importance of an early, full, and unconditional ceasefire.
The talks also covered the need to maintain sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield developments, and future prisoner exchanges.
“The pressure on Russia must continue until it is ready to stop the war,” Zelenskyy stressed. He also expressed gratitude to the American people for their support and leadership in saving lives.
Updated 16:23
Suspilne reported that the meeting lasted 40 minutes. RBC-Ukraine confirmed it had concluded.
Earlier, Zelenskyy and Vance met in the Vatican, shaking hands for the first time since their February dispute in the White House Oval Office.
At the Vatican, Zelenskyy was greeted with applause in St. Peter’s Square and sat next to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, with Vance nearby.
Notably, Zelenskyy previously met with former US President Donald Trump at Pope Francis’s funeral on April 26. The White House described their brief conversation as encouraging, and Zelenskyy called it the most substantive.