•Late Pope Francis and US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump headed to Rome today for the funeral of Pope Francis, the unexpected first foreign trip of his second term in which he will face foreign leaders including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump had a distant relationship with the late pontiff who did not hesitate to criticise him sharply on his signature policy of mass deportations of migrants, reports AFP.
But Trump will not miss what is set to be a major diplomatic gathering in which some 50 heads of state including 10 reigning monarchs.
Among them will be Zelensky, in what will be the two leaders’ first time together in person since a disastrous White House meeting on February 28.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance in that meeting berated Zelensky, calling him ungrateful for the billions of dollars of US military assistance since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Tensions eased following the meeting, with Ukraine agreeing to a US-led proposal for a one-month unconditional ceasefire, putting the onus on Russia which has not accepted and yesterday carried out its deadliest strike in nearly a year in Kyiv.
Trump, while calling on Russia to stop its attacks, has resumed blaming Zelensky, including pressing him to accept Russia control of Crimea, the peninsula seized by Moscow in 2014.
“Crimea will stay with Russia. And Zelensky understands that,” Trump told Time magazine in an interview published today.
Rubbing shoulders with Biden
No meetings have been announced in Rome for Trump, who is due to stay only half a day in the Eternal City.
But Trump may find discomfort around some leaders around him — chief among them his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Biden is a devout Catholic and was close with Francis. He will travel independently to Rome, his office said, even though under protocol former presidents generally travel on Air Force One for funerals.
Trump has relentlessly attacked Biden and torn down his legacy in his nearly 100 days in office, with Biden in turn recently speaking out against Trump’s policies.
President George W. Bush took two of his predecessors, Bill Clinton and his father, on Air Force One for Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005.
Trump’s trip to Italy comes after he rattled European allies by imposing sweeping tariffs, although he at least temporarily has backed down from the most severe measures.
French President Emmanuel Macron, one leader who has managed to forge a bond with Trump, and outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will both be at the funeral, as will top EU executives Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa.
Also in attendance will be Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a veteran leftist whose vanquished rival Jair Bolsonaro was an ideological soulmate of Trump.
Lula has been critical of Trump but has avoided major confrontation since the Republican billionaire’s return.
The funeral will also bring leaders more ideologically in tune with Trump including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and President Javier Milei of Argentina, the late pope’s home country.
Trump also paid a brief visit to France after his election but before his inauguration for the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral. Macron brought him together with Zelensky on the sidelines.
Trump’s first foreign trip was supposed to be to oil-rich Gulf Arab states, where he is hoping to see business opportunities and press for closer relations with Israel.
He is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from May 13.
