Donald Trump's presence at Pope Francis' funeral led to a series of events highlighting his complex relationships with various world leaders and his controversial policies. He was met by a group of European leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Volodymyr Zelensky. This led to a meeting between Trump and Zelensky, raising hopes for a breakthrough in the Russia-Ukraine war, with Zelensky tweeting about the possibility of a peace deal.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re's eulogy implicitly rebuked Trump by emphasizing Pope Francis's stance against building walls and his advocacy for peace and negotiation. This directly references Trump's signature border wall policy, a point of contention between the two figures during Francis' lifetime.
The article details the history of conflict between Trump and Pope Francis, citing past criticisms of Trump's policies on immigration, climate change, and the border wall. Trump had previously responded with anger to Francis's criticisms, calling them 'disgraceful' and accusing the Pope of being political.
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky sparked optimism for a potential breakthrough in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Trump's statement that Russia and Ukraine were 'very close to a deal' further fueled hopes of a lasting peace agreement. A second meeting between the two is planned before Trump's departure from Italy.