VATICAN CITY, VATICAN, MAY 18: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) and United States Vice President JD Vance (R) wait for the arrival of Pope Leo XIV for a Mass celebrating the inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, on May 18, 2025. (Photo by Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images)
World leaders converged in Rome this weekend for Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass at the Vatican on Sunday, with Vance leading the U.S. delegation. Zelenskyy also attended the mass.
The meeting comes after Russian and Ukrainian officials held their first direct peace talks in years last week in Istanbul. The two sides, however, failed to reach a ceasefire agreement for a war that has raged since February of 2022.
Hours after the meeting, a Russian drone strike hit a passenger bus in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday.
TRUMP SAYS PUTIN IS ‘TIRED’ OF RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russia and Ukraine did agree to a large prisoner swap during the meeting last week, despite not reaching a ceasefire.
President Donald Trump said on Friday, during his four-day tour of the Middle East, that he wants to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war "as soon as we can set it up."
ROME, ITALY - MAY 18: From left, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose prior to a meeting at the Chigi Palace on May 18, 2025 in Rome, Italy. U.S. Vice President JD Vance is in Rome to attend the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin - Pool/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
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"HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE A PRODUCTIVE DAY, A CEASEFIRE WILL TAKE PLACE, AND THIS VERY VIOLENT WAR, A WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, WILL END," Trump said. "GOD BLESS US ALL!!!"
Fox News Digital's Landon Mion contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/zelenskyy-slams-russia-sending-non-decision-makers-peace-talks-after-meeting-vance-rubio