Trump takes tough tone in Putin post after 'productive' meeting with Zelenskyy in Vatican

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Vatican City for the funeral of Pope Francis, met one on one in a marble-lined basilica on Saturday to try to revive faltering efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Zelenskyy said the meeting could prove historic if it delivers the kind of peace he is hoping for, and a White House spokesperson called it "very productive."

The two leaders, leaning in close to each other with no aides around them while seated in St. Peter's Basilica, spoke for about 15 minutes, according to Zelenskyy's office. Images of the meeting were released by Kyiv and Washington.

It's the first meeting between the two presidents since an angry encounter in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C., in February and comes at a critical time in negotiations to end the war.

After Pope Francis's funeral service in St. Peter's Square, Trump boarded Air Force One and departed Rome. While in the air, he published a social media post that took a tough tone on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days," Trump posted on Truth Social. Twelve people were killed on Thursday when a missile fired by Russia hit a Kyiv apartment block.

"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 wrote.

Trump's post was a departure from his usual rhetoric, which has seen the toughest criticism directed at Zelenskyy while he's spoken positively about Putin.

In a post on social media platform Telegram, Zelenskyy wrote: "Good meeting. One-on-one, we managed to discuss a lot. We hope for a result from all the things that were spoken about."

The Ukraine president said those topics included: "The protection of the lives of our people. A complete and unconditional ceasefire. A reliable and lasting peace that will prevent a recurrence of war."

Zelenskyy added: "It was a very symbolic meeting that has the potential to become historic if we achieve joint results. Thank you, President Donald Trump!"

In a photograph released by Zelenskyy's office, the Ukrainian and U.S. leaders were sitting opposite each other in a hall of the basilica, around half a metre apart, and leaning in toward each other in conversation. No aides could be seen in the image.

In a second photograph, from the same location, Zelenskyy, Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron were shown standing in a tight huddle. Macron had his hand on Zelenskyy's shoulder.

After Trump and Zelenskyy met in the basilica, the two men joined other world leaders outside in St. Peter's Square at the funeral ceremony for Pope Francis, who made the pursuit of peace, including in Ukraine, a motif of his papacy.