Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re's homily at Pope Francis' funeral subtly criticized Donald Trump's policies, referencing the 'build bridges, not walls' message. This was interpreted by many as a veiled reference to Trump's immigration policies.
The funeral was attended by numerous world leaders, including Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, who were seated prominently. Brief conversations occurred between Trump, Zelensky, Macron, and Starmer before the service. Trump also interacted with Ursula von der Leyen.
The article discusses ongoing efforts towards a peace deal in Ukraine. Trump expressed skepticism about Russia's willingness to end the war, while Zelensky indicated Ukraine's openness to dialogue under specific conditions, including a complete ceasefire. A draft agreement outlining potential security guarantees for Ukraine, including access to Ukrainian rare earth minerals in exchange for financial compensation from frozen Russian assets, was mentioned. However, significant political hurdles remain.
Direct talks between Ukraine and Russia remain stalled due to complex and politically sensitive conditions.