Media reports Ukraine ‘pressuring’ Italy for sideline summit at Pope’s funeral
(MENAFN) Ukraine is reportedly pressuring Italy to arrange a mini-summit on the Ukraine conflict during Pope Francis' funeral this week. Around 140 delegations are expected to attend the Vatican on Saturday morning to honor the late pontiff, who passed away on Monday. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and US President Donald Trump are both expected to be present.
Diplomatic sources quoted by La Repubblica on Friday indicated that Trump might hold informal bilateral meetings in Rome, including a possible meeting with Zelensky. Meanwhile, Ukraine is advocating for a broader multilateral gathering with European NATO members to take place in Italy, which would involve countries like the USA, Italy, France, the UK, and potentially Germany.
However, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has expressed reluctance about hosting such a gathering, fearing damage to Italy's reputation if it fails to achieve any meaningful results. The situation remains fluid, according to sources.
Additionally, recent reports revealed that Ukraine has rejected key aspects of a proposed US peace framework, with Zelensky accusing Trump of undermining peace talks through his public remarks. A diplomatic spat ensued during a meeting between Trump and Zelensky at the White House in February, when the Ukrainian leader openly criticized the US approach. La Repubblica also noted that Zelensky will be seated far from Trump at the funeral due to the Vatican’s seating arrangements for the delegations.
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