The appearance and removal of the third chair
Before Trump and Zelensky sat, three chairs had been positioned in the meeting area. However, in the same images, it is noted a prelate remove one of themperhaps destined for French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron had initially greeted the two leaders and observed the preparations; Shortly thereafter, the chair that could represent his place was moved. This movement seems to have decided the bilateral nature of the comparison. Many doubts remain on this detail: was the third chair for a translator, another diplomatic figure or simply a wrong forecast of the ceremonial?
Macron’s arrival and Trump’s intervention
Even before the exclusion of the chair, Emmanuel Macron had appeared intent on participating in the interview. The images show the French president while approaching Trump and Zelensky, as if to enter the discussion. However, Trump silently has firmly raised a hand, indicating that the dialogue had to remain private. Macronsurprised, remained on the sidelines, marking an apparent moment of diplomatic tension. The position of the French leader in this context remains the subject of speculation: did he act spontaneously or did he hope to have a say in such a delicate meeting?
Keir Starmer also slips
The situation complicated further with the arrival of the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Shortly after his entry, the video that documented the episode was interrupted, leaving room for the imagination on what actually happened. But a photograph shows that the British premier chatted for a few moments with Trump, Zelensky and Macron. This detail raised further questions: if the meeting had been designed as a multilateral, why wasn’t a fourth chair foreseen?
A day of intense diplomacy
Beyond the mystery of the three chairs, the day proved crucial for international diplomacy. After the interview with Trump, Zelensky met separately Macron and the president of the Italian Council, Giorgia Melons. A dialogue of about an hour was held with the latter, a sign of the intense diplomatic work in progress behind the scenes. However, the image of Trump and Zelensky in the Basilica remains the most powerful, both for the context and for the unusual symbolism.
What the protagonists said
The two leaders described their interview as a “constructive”. Volodymyr Zelensky He spoke of a meeting with a “historical” symbolic potential if he manages to bring concrete results. Among the themes certainly discussed there would be the War in Ukrainerequests for security guarantees and prospects of a European support contingent. Despite this, the video of the meeting, incomplete and audio without interpretations. Trump also defined the “productive” dialogue, but did not provide details on the specific content faced.