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President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky managed to get front-row seats to Pope Francis’ funeral in an apparent departure from the Vatican’s arcane traditions.
Despite speculation that the leaders would be at least three rows back, behind high-ranking clergy members and royals, Trump and First Lady Melania were prominently seated between Estonian president Alar Karis and the King Felipe of Spain.
Unlike past papal funerals, all of the cardinals and bishops in attendance were on one side of the pulpit while the world leaders were on the other, with priority given to heads of state and reigning monarchs.
Heads of government, however, like UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, were further back.
The leaders were generally organized alphabetically by their countries’ names in French — the original language of diplomacy in Europe — which landed the Trumps, from the États-Unis, in the front row.
That didn’t explain Zelensky’s prominent position, however, which was 11 seats away from Trump.
The Ukrainian leader made a last-minute decision to join his wife, Olena Zelenska, after reports he might have to stay home to deal with matters related to the ongoing war in his country against Russia.
The couple was filling a “vacant place,” Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesman, told The Telegraph.
Amid a week of mounting pressure to achieve a peace deal in his country’s war with Russia, Zelensky arrived to welcoming cheers from the thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square watching the live-streamed services for Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
Just before the services, Zelensky met with President Trump for the first time since their February spat in the Oval Office. The Ukrainian leader thanked Trump after, calling it a “good meeting.”
The White House also said it was “a very productive discussion.”
Among the high-ranking dignitaries flanking Trump and Zelensky were Argentinian President Javier Milei, who was given the number one spot as leader of Francis’ home country, and Italian president Sergio Mattarella and his daughter, also given priority due to the pope’s role in Italy.
Near them were French President Emmanuel Macron and Irish President Michael Higgins.
In the rows further back were Prince William, who attended on behalf of his father King Charles III, and Olaf Scholz, the chancellor of Germany.
With Post wires
English (US)