U.S. President Donald Trump was seated in the front row among world leaders at the funeral service held at St. Peter’s Basilica, positioned notably between two strong supporters of Ukraine.

First Lady Melania Trump sat to Trump’s left, alongside Estonia’s President Alar Karis, while Finland’s President Alexander Stubb was seated to Trump’s right. The arrangement drew attention given the current geopolitical tensions and ongoing discussions about a potential Russia-Ukraine peace deal.

Although the day’s primary focus was the solemn ceremony, diplomatic undercurrents were evident. Earlier, President Trump held a brief meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of the service, underscoring the high stakes of any sideline discussions.

For more than 90 minutes during the ceremony, Trump was flanked by two of Zelensky’s closest allies. President Stubb, familiar with Trump from a recent golf outing at Mar-a-Lago, had reportedly warned the U.S. leader during their meeting that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not be trusted. It is likely that President Karis, if given the opportunity, would echo similar concerns.

As President Trump continues to speak of being “very close” to brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, today’s seating arrangement symbolized the delicate balancing act he faces on the world stage.

As the funeral takes place in St. Peter’s Square, there are some diplomatic developments from the sidelines.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with Donald Trump prior to the service, as reported by Zelensky’s spokesperson, Serhiy Nikiforov, in Ukrainian media.

Both leaders are present in St. Peter’s Square for the ceremony.