Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday received US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome, prior to Donald Trump’s expected phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The encounter on the sidelines of Pope Leo’s inauguration was on preparations for Monday’s conversation and on diplomatic channels to close the three-year war in Ukraine.
The conversation between Vance and Zelenskyy was their first since the tense exchange of words at the White House in February. The 40-minute conversation was termed “good” by Zelenskyy, highlighting Ukraine’s preparation for “real diplomacy” and demanding an “unconditional ceasefire.” Sanctions against Russia, conditions on the battlefield, and how Trump’s phone call with Putin had set expectations were some of the areas discussed, as revealed by a Ukrainian official.
These heightened diplomatic efforts are against the backdrop of increased tensions. Only hours ahead of the talks, Russia’s biggest drone attack since the conflict started saw 273 drones used over several parts of Ukraine. The attack killed one 28-year-old woman and wounded at least three others, a child among them, in the region around Kyiv. Ukraine’s air force downed 88 drones while others malfunctioned or acted as decoys.
Further escalating concerns, Ukraine’s military intelligence warned that Moscow might soon test an RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads as a show of intimidation toward Kyiv and Western allies.
After fruitless peace negotiations in Istanbul on Friday, European leaders are marshaling resources to influence Trump’s strategy toward Putin. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz affirmed coordination with the UK, France, and Poland to prepare Trump before the call. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared next week “crucial” for the future of Ukraine, emphasizing the imperative of momentum in peace talks.
Trump has promised to talk about how to halt the “bloodbath” in Ukraine in his future discussions.