Tensions Rise as Trump Voices Doubts Over Putin’s Peace Overtures After Rome Encounter
BaretaNews – The prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough in the war in Ukraine dimmed further this weekend after former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed fresh doubts about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions, following high-stakes talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome.
The two leaders met privately at St. Peter’s Basilica ahead of Pope Francis’s funeral, a setting laden with symbolism but overshadowed by Trump’s pointed remarks afterward. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump cast suspicion on Putin’s true goals, suggesting the Russian leader might be “playing him along” while continuing assaults on Ukrainian civilians.
The Rome meeting was the first direct contact between Trump and Zelensky since a famously bitter exchange at the White House more than a year ago, during which Trump bluntly told Zelensky he was “out of cards” in the war. Despite White House efforts to characterize the latest encounter as “productive,” Trump’s subsequent social media posts revealed skepticism about the effectiveness of traditional diplomatic channels.
“Maybe Putin doesn’t want to end this war. Maybe he never did,” Trump wrote, hinting that harsher economic measures like secondary sanctions might be the only remaining leverage.
Trump’s remarks came days after Moscow promised openness to “direct talks” — a move now seen by Washington insiders as little more than a stalling tactic. The Kremlin, meanwhile, publicly maintained that its conditions for negotiations remained flexible.
Photos of the Rome meeting captured a serious and almost strained atmosphere between Trump and Zelensky, seated rigidly across from each other, contrasting sharply with the softer images shared later of Zelensky with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
In a subtle but notable gesture, Macron and Starmer were seen engaging both leaders inside the Basilica, fueling speculation that European powers are maneuvering to edge the U.S. back into a cooperative role on Ukraine, even as Trump’s rhetoric grows increasingly skeptical.
Sources close to the Ukrainian delegation hinted that Zelensky had hoped for a second sit-down with Trump to solidify points discussed, but those hopes evaporated as Trump’s motorcade departed Rome swiftly after the funeral ceremonies.
Zelensky, however, stayed behind to meet European leaders including Macron, Starmer, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, reinforcing Ukraine’s pivot towards European alliances amid growing uncertainty about U.S. commitment under a possible future Trump presidency.
As the solemnity of the papal funeral gave way to sharp geopolitical maneuvering, one message was unmistakable: despite handshakes and solemn photographs, the rift between Trump’s vision for the war and Ukraine’s aspirations for victory has not closed — and may be widening.
