- Vice President JD Vance and President Zelensky met in Rome amid Trump’s renewed push for a Ukraine ceasefire.
- Fears grow in Kyiv over potential U.S.-Russia deal that sidelines Ukraine’s interests.
- Trump is set to hold separate calls with Zelensky and Putin to explore peace terms.
- Critics warn against an “appeasement deal” that could reward Russian aggression.
In a high-stakes diplomatic waltz that unfolded under the grandeur of Rome’s holy celebrations, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Sunday in what may be one of the last attempts to script a ceasefire before Washington finalizes its plan for ending the Ukraine war. But behind the cordial handshakes and carefully worded statements lies a grim and growing unease — that Ukraine is being nudged toward a peace deal on terms not of its choosing.
The meeting, also attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, occurred at the U.S. ambassador’s residence following the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV. Vance’s office offered little detail, but Zelensky’s post on Telegram underscored a critical divide: “Pressure on Russia must continue until it is ready to stop the war,” he insisted, reaffirming Ukraine’s openness to diplomacy but stressing the need for a “full and unconditional ceasefire.”
That phrase — unconditional ceasefire — may be where Kyiv’s hopes and Washington’s approach begin to diverge.
President Donald Trump has made no secret of his ambition to be the man who ends the war. On Monday morning, he is expected to speak separately with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump’s negotiator, Steve Witkoff, called the upcoming calls potentially “successful” and reiterated Trump’s belief that “if he can’t do it, then nobody can.”
But for all the theatrics of Trumpian diplomacy, substance remains elusive. Sunday morning, as dignitaries gathered at the Vatican, Russian drones were unleashing the largest aerial assault since the war began. Ukrainian authorities reported homes destroyed, a woman killed, and several civilians injured — including a 4-year-old child.
And yet, in the shadow of this violence, Trump is preparing for what many fear could be a deal struck with more concern for legacy than justice.
An Uneasy Reset in U.S.-Ukraine Relations
The Rome meeting was the first face-to-face encounter between Vance and Zelensky since their now-infamous Oval Office clash in February. During that exchange, Vance accused Zelensky of being “disrespectful,” while Trump demanded more “gratitude” from the Ukrainian leader. It was a chilling moment for those who view the U.S.-Ukraine alliance as a moral imperative rather than a transactional arrangement.
Since then, the Trump administration’s tone has shifted — but not necessarily softened. Zelensky’s team, as well as several European allies, remain anxious that backchannel talks and pressure from Washington could force Ukraine into an agreement that legitimizes Russian gains or compromises territorial integrity.
Those fears are not unfounded. Just days ago, Ukraine and Russia held their first direct talks in Istanbul in years — a mere two-hour session that ended in mutual frustration. The Russians, led by longtime Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky, demanded that Ukraine withdraw from its own territory — a surreal proposal that underscores the Kremlin’s imperial ambitions. The only tangible result was a prisoner swap deal.
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Rubio called the talks “not a complete waste of time,” and said both sides would soon present their written conditions for a ceasefire. But he acknowledged the risks: “If those papers… have requirements in them that we know are unrealistic, then we’ll have a different assessment.”
Peace, but on Whose Terms?
Trump’s strategy, from the outside, appears to prioritize deal-making over principle. There’s a creeping sense that ending the war — any way possible — is now a higher priority than ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty is respected. That view is reinforced by remarks from former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, who recently resigned in protest.
In a searing op-ed in the Detroit Free Press, Brink accused the Trump administration of “putting pressure on the victim, Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia.” Speaking Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation, she offered a blunt warning: “Peace at any price is not peace at all. It’s appeasement.”
Indeed, the language emerging from Washington is increasingly centered around “realistic” expectations. But realistic for whom? For a democratic nation defending its borders, or for a former superpower emboldened by Western fatigue?
A Diplomatic Gamble That May Backfire
Trump’s planned call with Putin raises difficult questions. Will it merely explore the parameters of a ceasefire, or will it tacitly validate Russian demands? According to Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), the Europeans aren’t optimistic.
“I’ve spoken with Poland, Germany, Finland, and Ukraine,” Kaine said Sunday on Fox News. “They do not believe Putin will enter into a ceasefire on terms that are acceptable to anyone. But they are praising us for trying.”
It’s a diplomatic dilemma: If the U.S. appears too eager for peace, it risks alienating Ukraine and emboldening Russia. But if it holds out for terms that are unacceptable to Moscow, the war grinds on. Trump’s gamble is that he can thread the needle — striking a deal that ends the war while preserving American credibility. Yet history offers few examples of authoritarian regimes walking away from conquest with only kind words and handshakes.
The Specter of a Fait Accompli
One U.S. diplomat, speaking anonymously, admitted that Zelensky’s team fears a fait accompli — a deal presented as final, with Ukraine offered little input. It would not be the first time a smaller nation is strong-armed into accepting terms dictated by larger powers. But in this case, the consequences could be catastrophic.
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A ceasefire that freezes Russian advances in place, fails to restore Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders, or bypasses Kyiv’s consent would amount to rewarding aggression. Worse, it would set a precedent — not just in Europe, but globally — that military force and protracted violence can bring strategic gains.
And for all Trump’s confidence that only he can make the deal, it’s worth remembering: true peace is not forged in one phone call, but in months of painstaking diplomacy grounded in mutual respect and international law.
The Road Ahead
What comes next will depend heavily on Monday’s calls — and whether Trump listens to Zelensky with the same seriousness he affords Putin. It will also depend on whether the U.S. is willing to push back against Russian maximalism rather than entertain it.
The Rome encounter offered a glimpse of diplomacy in motion, but also exposed the fault lines within the West’s approach to peace. The urgency to end the war is understandable. But speed must not come at the cost of sovereignty. Nor should Ukrainian sacrifice be diminished to enhance a president’s legacy.
For all the prayers offered at the Vatican this weekend, one hopes that behind closed doors, statesmen on both sides of the Atlantic remember a simple truth: a rushed peace may be the quickest path to the next war.