The US president has previously urged Ukraine and Russia to strike an immediate deal to end Moscow's ongoing war, but has said Putin was "just tapping me along" in the aftermath of the Vatican sit-down with the Ukrainian leader.
ADVERTISEMENTUS President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy met on Saturday before the funeral service for Pope Francis in the Vatican.
"We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered," Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Saturday. "Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out."
"Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results," he concluded, thanking the US president.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the two "met privately today and had a very productive discussion."
Later, Trump weighed in on Putin in another apparent change of direction. “There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns over the last few days,” the US president said on his Truth Social platform.
“It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ’banking’ or ’secondary sanctions?’ Too many people are dying,” Trump added.
An eye-to-eye sit-down
Meanwhile, in historic photographs released by Ukraine's Presidential Administration, the two leaders can be seen inside St Peter's Basilica, sitting across from each other as they confer eye-to-eye.
The direct, impromptu meeting in the basilica and the body language of the two leaders strongly contrast with the public snipes of the last few days.
Shortly after arriving in Rome on Friday, Trump said on social media that Ukraine and Russia should meet for “very high-level talks” on ending Moscow's all-out war, now in its fourth year.
Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and the US president said both sides were “very close to a deal".