Amid rising tensions and high-pressure diplomacy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. officials and European leaders in Rome. These talks happened just hours before a scheduled phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
During a meeting at the U.S. ambassador’s residence, Zelenskyy spoke with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On social media, Zelenskyy stressed the need for “real diplomacy” and repeated Ukraine’s goal of securing a “full and unconditional ceasefire.” Zelesnkyy has a way with negotiating, so he may get what he needs.
According to CBS, Zelenskyy wrote, “We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation, and upcoming prisoners exchange. Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war.”
Zelenskyy met with the vice president regarding Russia
According to Fox, President Trump said he would speak with Putin to address the ongoing violence in Ukraine. After that call, he planned to talk with Zelenskyy and several NATO leaders. Secretary Rubio, in an interview on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” suggested that a successful outcome might require Trump and Putin to meet in person, noting that Trump had already publicly offered such a meeting.
While admitting that arranging it would be complicated, Rubio said Trump wanted it to happen “as soon as possible.” He also recognized the challenge of balancing patience in peace talks with the need to act quickly, given the ongoing war and other global crises.
Good meeting with @VP J. D. Vance and Secretary of State @SecRubio in Rome.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 18, 2025
During our talks we discussed negotiations in Istanbul to where the Russians sent a low level delegation of non-decision-makers. I reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to be engaged in real diplomacy and… pic.twitter.com/ko2cKKYvCZ
The urgency of the situation was highlighted by a massive Russian drone attack on Ukraine, which happened at the same time as these diplomatic efforts. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 273 explosive drones and decoys targeting Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk. While 88 drones were shot down, 128 were lost, likely due to electronic jamming.
Yuriy Ihnat, head of the air force’s communications department, called this the largest drone attack since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. Reports confirmed casualties from the attack; Kyiv regional Gov. Mykola Kalashnyk said a 28-year-old woman was killed and three others were injured, including a 4-year-old child.
Beyond his meeting with U.S. officials, Zelenskyy also met with Pope Leo XIV after the Pope’s first Mass. Zelenskyy mentioned the Vatican’s possible role in ending the war and thanked the Holy See for offering to host direct talks between Ukraine and Russia. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also spoke with Zelenskyy and Rubio, confirming that European leaders were coordinating with the U.S. ahead of the Trump-Putin call.
