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Zelenskyy Says Vatican Meeting Confirmed US Commitment to Strong Sanctions on Russia

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Maryna_kulakova
Maryna Kulakova
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Zelenskyy Says Vatican Meeting Confirmed US Commitment to Strong Sanctions on Russia
Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy meets with French President Macron, UK Prime Minister Starmer, and US President Trump during Pope Francis’s funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, on April 26, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

During a May 27 press briefing, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described his recent conversation with US President Donald Trump at the Vatican as positive, especially regarding the possibility of new US sanctions against Russia.

As reported by UNITED24 Media correspondent, Zelenskyy said the discussion touched on sanctions policy, with Trump expressing support for stronger measures if Russia fails to stop its aggression.

“We discussed two main sectors — energy and banking. I would very much like the US to impose sanctions in both areas,” Zelenskyy noted.

He acknowledged uncertainty about how the US will proceed: “I don’t know if they have decided to make a strong move right away or if they plan a staged approach—taking one step to demonstrate resolve to Russia, then following with another.”

Despite this, Zelenskyy viewed the Vatican meeting as reaffirming US commitment to impose tough sanctions on Russia if Russian leader Vladimir Putin refuses to agree to a ceasefire.

“Our conversation was positive and, from my perspective, confirmed the US policy of strong sanctions should the fighting continue,” he said.

Previously, US President Donald Trump has condemned Russian leader Vladimir Putin over continued attacks on Ukraine, warning that the Kremlin leader is “playing with fire.”

In a post on Truth Social on May 27, Trump claimed that if not for his actions during his presidency, “a lot of really bad things” would have already happened to Russia.

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