US President Donald Trump arrived in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis on Friday, where he will brush the shoulders with an array of world leaders on the first foreign trip of his second term.
Trump, who was with wife Melania, had a distant relationship with the late Pontif, who rapidly criticized the migrants’ collective exile policy. But Trump will be union for a major diplomat gathering on Saturday, including some 50 heads of Emperor in Vatican.
Trump said it was possible that he could meet Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelansky since a destructive White House meeting on 28 February.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance instigated Zelanski at that meeting, ungrateful for billions of dollars of US military aid since invading Russia in 2022.
Trump called Russia to prevent its airstrikes on Ukraine, recently blamed Zelancesi for war and continuous bloodshed.
Zelansky said he could remember the funeral due to military meetings after a deadly Russian strike on Kiev.
No meeting has been announced for Trump in Rome, which is only due to staying half a day.
Trump told reporters on an Air Force that he would meet “some people”, including Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, which he hosted to discuss tariffs at the White House earlier this month.
But he said that any meeting will be early and added: “Clearly, when you are at the funeral of the Pope it is a bit derogatory for meetings.”
Trump may also find inconvenience around some other mournings – the predominant of their predecessors, who are prominent among them.
Biden is a devotee Catholic and was close to Francis. He would travel independently of Rome, his office said, even though the former President usually travels on the Air Force one for the funeral.
Trump has attacked Biden continuously and tore his legacy in his office in about 100 days, with Biden recently speaking against Trump’s policies.
President George W. Bush took his two predecessors, Bill Clinton and his father to the Air Force one for the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005.
Is it a matter of European Union?
After Trump’s visit to Italy, he shocked European colleagues with sweeping tariffs, although he has at least supported the most serious measures.
French President Emmanuel Macron, a leader who has managed to create a bond with Trump, and outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Sholaz will be at the funeral, as the European Union officials will be the top of Ursula von dera leyen and Antonio Costa.
Meloni had already given a invitation to Trump to visit Rome before the Pope’s death, saying that it could provide an opportunity to interact with European leaders.
In addition, Brazilian President Luiz Enecio Lula Da Silva will be an experienced leftist, whose deprived rival Jair Bolsoro Trump is an ideological soul.
Lula is important for Trump, but has survived a large confrontation since the return of the Republican billionaire.
The funeral leaders will be brought more ideologically along with Trump, including Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban and Argentina President Xavier, the home country of the late Pope.
Trump paid a brief visit to France after his election, but before its opening to reopen the notre Dame Cathedral. Macron brought him to the sideline with Zelancesi.
Trump’s first foreign trip was considered to be for the oil-rich Gulf Arab states, where he is expecting to see business opportunities and suppress them to accept close ties with Israel.
They have to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates from 13 May.
Trump, however, will keep an important appointment: with the First Lady Melania Trump for his 55th birthday, which also falls on Saturday.
He told reporters that he had no time to present, but he said that “I am taking him to Air Force One for dinner.”
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