In a scene straight out of a political drama, French President Emmanuel Macron found himself awkwardly sidelined while Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky met privately ahead of Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican on Saturday.
It was supposed to be a quiet gathering — a moment to show unity and respect. Instead, it turned into a glaring display of political frost. Trump and Zelensky, fresh off a rocky February showdown in the White House, found themselves face-to-face once again. Only this time, Macron, one of Zelensky’s most vocal allies, wasn’t invited to the party.
Footage from the Vatican showed Zelensky walking toward the seating area with Trump, casting quick glances over his shoulder, clearly expecting Macron to catch up. Three chairs sat waiting, hinting at a possible three-way conversation. Zelensky even threw Macron a warm smile and a welcoming hand gesture.
But the script flipped fast. Just as Macron neared, a staffer swooped in and whisked away the third chair — as if erasing France’s place at the table right before everyone’s eyes. Trump, standing firm, made it crystal clear with his body language: this was a two-man show.
Zelensky’s confident smile tightened. Macron, after an awkward beat, stepped aside, leaving Trump and Zelensky to dive into what turned out to be a tense 15-minute talk.
The stakes couldn’t have been higher. Trump has been leaning hard on Kiev to accept what’s been dubbed his “final offer” to freeze the conflict with Russia — one that would lock in current front lines and officially recognize Crimea as part of Russia. Zelensky, for his part, has been fiercely resistant, refusing any deal that would cede Ukrainian territory.
The tension has only been fueled by Trump’s latest remarks. In a Time magazine interview just days ago, he was blunt: “Crimea will stay with Russia.” No sugar-coating, no political doublespeak. It’s the same hardline message he hammered home during his February meeting with Zelensky, when tempers flared and the Ukrainian leader stormed out early.
Meanwhile, Macron has consistently championed Ukraine’s sovereignty, insisting that any peace deal must safeguard the nation’s territorial integrity. But Saturday’s events suggest that — at least in Trump’s world — Macron’s voice is losing its influence.
Adding another twist, Trump expressed satisfaction with recent US-Russia negotiations after Russian President Vladimir Putin sat down for marathon talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff. Moscow, for its part, is pushing hard for immediate peace talks — though not without its own demands, particularly around Ukraine’s NATO ambitions.
In the end, the Vatican meeting was less about solemn remembrance and more about raw political power plays. And for Macron, it was a reminder that sometimes, in high-stakes diplomacy, even friends get left standing on the sidelines.
