Donald Trump has questioned Vladimir Putin’s willingness to end the Ukraine war after meeting Volodymyr Zelensky during Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome.

Zelensky used the funeral of Pope Francis to launch a diplomatic blitz to head off a U.S. proposal to end Russia’s war on Ukraine on terms favorable to Moscow.

The United States has been pushing Ukraine to accept a peace plan that seems in part a gift to Moscow. But the short meeting of the leaders, and subsequent comments, appeared to be a change in tone.

Donald Trump spoke after his Saturday conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican. The U.S. President expressed his belief that Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea in exchange for lasting peace.

Donald Trump wants to see a permanent ceasefire, the White House said hours after Vladimir Putin announced he'd stop the fighting for a few days.

By David Morgan and Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Top officials in U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Sunday pressed Russia and Ukraine to make headway on a peace deal following a one-on-one meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the Vatican a day earlier.