• Trump and Zelenskyy met privately in Rome, marking their first in-person meeting since February's confrontation.
• The U.S. President expressed frustration with Putin's recent missile attacks on Ukraine.
• Both leaders discussed the potential for an unconditional ceasefire in the ongoing war.
• Meetings reflect U.S. pressure on Ukraine to consider concessions regarding territorial issues to facilitate peace.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met privately at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome just before the funeral of Pope Francis, their first meeting since a contentious encounter in February. Trump described their interaction as "very productive," and Zelenskyy emphasized their discussion around a possible unconditional ceasefire with Russia, expressing hope for significant outcomes from this symbolic dialogue, according to reports from India.com, HuffPost, and BBC.

Following their exchange, Trump took to Truth Social to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin for recent missile strikes against civilian areas in Ukraine, suggesting, "There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles... It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war," raising concerns about the ongoing violence. This statement underscores Trump's escalating frustration with both Zelenskyy and Putin as diplomacy continues, as noted by sources like Reuters and Los Angeles Times.

Zelenskyy remains under pressure to make territorial concessions regarding Crimea as part of a potential peace deal, which Trump suggested may be necessary for any progress in negotiations with Russia. However, both Ukraine and its European allies have firmly opposed any such moves, viewing them as unacceptable. Discussions have been complicated by differing stances on sanctions and security assurances, as indicated by The Hill and TRT World.