The meeting comes two days after the first direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in more than three years. They held in Türkiye, where they agreed to a prisoner exchange, but no progress was made in ensuring the ceasefire.
“We discussed the negotiations in Istanbul, and the Russians sent a low-level delegation without decision-making power,” Zelensky wrote in a telegram after the U.S. ambassador met Vance at his residence in Rome.
The two men had attended the inauguration ceremony of Pope Leo in the Vatican earlier.
“We also talked about the need for sanctions on Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, situations on the battlefield and future prisoner exchanges,” Zelensky added.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Zelensky’s assistant Andriy Yermak were also present.
“Leaders discussed their common goal of ending the bloodshed in Ukraine and provided the latest news on the status of negotiations for a ceasefire and lasting peace,” the White House said in a brief statement.
A photo accompanying the statement shows Vance and Zelensky with broad smiles in stark contrast to their February conflict at the Oval Office.
Vance also held meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, which the White House later called “constructive.”
A senior Ukrainian official in the presidential office spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Zelensky and Vance discussed preparations for a telephone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump wrote on Saturday in his social media platform Truth Social that he will speak with Putin by phone on Monday to stop “bloody therapy” in Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said leaders from Britain, Germany and France also wanted to talk to Trump and Putin.
The U.S. president’s pressure on Ukraine has increased pressure, and so far criticism of Putin is Putin, who has started the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II.
“Better” conversation
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The official said Rome’s encounter was “better” than the Oval Office three months ago.
Vance then publicly accused Zelensky of “disrespect” to Trump, who told Ukrainian leaders that he should be more grateful and that he has no “cards” to negotiate with Russia.
Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska were awarded to the audience with Leo after taking office earlier.
“We thank the Vatican for being a platform for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia,” the Ukrainian leader said after meeting with the people.
“Ukraine, which is difficult to move, is waiting for negotiations to achieve a just and lasting peace that will eventually happen,” Leo XIV said at the inauguration.
“Record” drone barrage
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Ukraine said on Sunday that Russia launched record drones in the country overnight, targeting various regions including the capital Kyiv, where women were killed.
Another man was killed in the southeast of Kherson, where the train station, private houses and cars were attacked.
The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched “273 Shahed attack drones and various imitation drones”, of which 88 were destroyed, and 128 went astray “without negative consequences.”
Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said it was a “record” number of drones. “Russia has a clear goal – to continue killing civilians,” she said.
The Russian military said it intercepted 25 Ukrainian drones overnight and on Sunday morning. Moscow also claimed that it occupied Bahathir, another village in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, although peace talks in Istanbul have intensified war efforts.
“root cause”
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In an interview with Russian state television released on Sunday, Putin said Moscow’s goal was to “eliminate the causes of this crisis, create conditions for lasting peace, and ensure Russia’s security” without further elaboration.
Russia’s reference to the “root cause” of the conflict usually refers to Moscow’s complaints against Kiev and the West, which is the reason Moscow launched an invasion in February 2022.
These include a promise of “De-Nazify” and non-military Ukraine, a Russian spokesman in the east of the country, opposes NATO expansion and prevents Western geopolitical drift in Ukraine.
Kyiv and the West say that the Russian invasion was nothing more than imperial-style land.
Since the war broke out in Russia, tens of thousands have been killed and millions have been forced to flee their homes.
Talks in Türkiye on Friday led to a deal of 1,000 prisoners per person.
