Kyiv, May 3, 2025: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy revealed that he held a wide-ranging and constructive conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican last week, calling it their “best meeting ever.”
According to a statement released by the Ukrainian presidential administration, Zelenskiy said the two leaders discussed air defence systems, sanctions on Russia, and the war in Ukraine, with both agreeing that a 30-day ceasefire would be an essential first step toward ending the conflict.
“I told him about the number of air defence systems we need,” Zelenskiy said. “He told me they will work on it, but reminded me these things are not free.”
Zelenskiy praised Trump’s strong response to the issue of sanctions, though he did not provide details. The Ukrainian president also highlighted a critical minerals deal signed this week as a major breakthrough, allowing the U.S. preferential access to Ukraine’s mineral sector while boosting Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction efforts.
The deal includes the creation of a joint investment fund governed by a six-member supervisory board—split evenly between U.S. and Ukrainian appointees—that will oversee projects and select the fund’s director. Zelenskiy indicated that U.S. military aid, particularly the $30 billion allocated by Congress for 2025–26, could partly be channelled through this framework, with Ukraine gradually repaying its share.
Zelenskiy described the agreement as “historic,” stating that it would enable American investors to enter the Ukrainian market on an unprecedented scale, while reinforcing Ukraine’s ability to defend its people and territory.
On the proposed ceasefire, Zelenskiy confirmed Kyiv’s support for an unconditional 30-day truce, countering Moscow’s recent offer of a symbolic three-day halt in fighting around May 9—Russia’s Victory Day. “We are ready if it is a full 30-day ceasefire,” he said, while warning that Ukraine could not guarantee the safety of any foreign dignitaries attending events in Moscow.
The remarks drew a stark response from Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, who issued a veiled threat, saying “nobody could guarantee Kyiv would survive to see May 10” if Ukraine struck Moscow on May 9.
The high-level exchange underscores ongoing efforts to explore diplomatic off-ramps to the three-year-old war, even as tensions remain high and fighting continues on multiple fronts.
