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.

Exactly who the third chair was intended for or why they did not take it is not clear, but in the end Vatican officials dressed in black robes escorted only Trump and Zelensky to sit opposite one another in St Peter’s Basilica.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said his brief meeting with President Trump in Vatican City was “good” and “symbolic,” as the U.S. continues to