Trump and Zelensky meet briefly at Pope Francis funeral

JOHANNESBURG - United States (US) President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have met briefly at Pope Francis's funeral, currently underway.

This marks their first encounter since the disastrous White House clash as the US President pushed the Ukrainian to make a peace deal with Russia.

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According to senior officials, the two leaders met briefly on the sidelines of the funeral before it started.

Trump and Zelensky, both accompanied by their wives, are seated in the front row of the funeral in St Peter's Square but are separated by nearly a dozen leaders.

Tensions have been high since Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky in the Oval Office on 28 February, calling him ungrateful for the billions of dollars of US military assistance given since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Trump is rubbing shoulders with dozens of world leaders at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome after he imposed tariffs on several nations.

Zelensky was the subject of a barrage of insults during a visit to the White House earlier in 2025.

This, in turn, earned Trump much criticism from viewers and leaders around the world.

However, Trump’s handling of foreign affairs is not the only reason he has been criticised.

Before the November elections in the US, the late Pope Francis had some words for the American people, highlighting Trump’s attitude towards migrants as a sin.

“Sending away migrants, not allowing them to work, not sheltering them, is a sin. It’s serious,” said the pontiff at the time.

Despite this, Trump has described the Pope as a good man who loved the world and was a fantastic guy.