According to reports by the Russian Sputnik News Agency, on May 19th local time, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio quoted a statement from a Vatican Cardinal, saying that many people feel "the world is upside down," and that the U.S. President "wants peace," but Europe has been talking about military affairs. That evening, the White House held a Kennedy Center Board dinner, an event hosted by U.S. President Trump, who is also the chairman of the board. Rubio said that evening, "Mr. President, the day before the Pope's inauguration mass, a cardinal I met told me, 'You know, this is very unusual for us. We have a U.S. president who wants peace, while some Europeans have been talking about war matters.'" Rubio added, "So in their view, it seems like an upside-down world." The report stated that Trump does not want to invest large amounts of money in defense affairs, and Rubio also mentioned that the same funds could be used for economic development. According to The Washington Post, Rubio expressed his appreciation for Trump's idea of promoting a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia that day, boasting, "Our president is a builder, not a bomber." [Image: https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-axegupay5k/b4e81e721b1c4f47888623c1ccda26c3~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1748347024&x-signature=wKi2GNdzzkOFLDVyDYsuXYEEeCg%3D] On May 19th, Trump delivered a speech at the Kennedy Center Board dinner held at the White House. Associated Press. Rubio made the above remarks as new developments emerged in the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia that the U.S. is attempting to mediate. Earlier that morning, Trump had separate phone calls with Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. After the call, Trump posted a message stating that his conversation with Putin was "very successful," and that peace negotiations would immediately begin between Russia and Ukraine. Whether Europe will participate in the negotiations over the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has drawn much attention. Trump mentioned that after speaking with Putin, he also spoke with Zelenskyy, European Commission President von der Leyen, and leaders from France, Italy, Germany, and Finland. von der Leyen stated that the EU will continue to support Zelenskyy to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine. German Chancellor Scholz vowed that Europe will increase pressure on Russia through sanctions. Some believe that Trump's call with Putin has made Ukraine and European countries supporting Ukraine uneasy, and Europe may continue to think that "America leans more toward Russia" in this crisis. Putin stated in his post-call declaration that Russia will propose and prepare a memorandum for potential peace agreements between the two countries. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is ready to negotiate directly with Russia "in any form that produces results." Ukraine and Russia can first sign a memorandum including ceasefire terms, followed by a comprehensive ceasefire agreement. However, several foreign media outlets pointed out that Trump's call with Putin did not signal a major breakthrough in negotiations, especially regarding territorial disputes and withdrawal issues which are difficult to reconcile. Early that morning, Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV for the first official meeting. That evening, Rubio said at the Kennedy Center dinner, "When you get up in the morning, your first meeting is with the Pope, and your last one is attending the dinner with the president. This is not usual." U.S. media noted that Pope Leo XIV hopes to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, which coincides with Trump's attempt to position himself as a "peacebuilder." In his post after the May 19th call between the U.S. and Russian leaders, Trump stated that the Vatican has "expressed great willingness to host negotiations." "Let the process begin," Trump wrote. This article is an exclusive piece by Guancha Observer, unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7506489908064731658/ Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Please use the [thumbs up/thumbs down] buttons below to express your opinion.