What we learn from remarkable photos of Trump-Zelenskyy meeting

On an extraordinary day, remarkable pictures on the margins that capture what may be a turning point for the world.

In a corner of St Peter's Basilica before the funeral of Pope Francis, the leaders of America and Ukraine sit facing each other in two solitary chairs. They look like confessor and sinner except we cannot tell which one is which.

Leaning forward hands together in their laps, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy stare at each other in one photo. In another, the Ukrainian president seems to be remonstrating with the US president.

This is their first encounter since their infamous bust-up in the Oval Office. Other pictures show the moment their French and British counterparts introduced the two men.

There is a palpable sense of nervousness in the way the leaders engage. We do not know what the two presidents said in their brief meeting.

But in the mind of the Ukrainian leader will be the knowledge President Trump has this week said America will reward Russia for its unprovoked brutal invasion of his country, under any peace deal. Mr Trump has presented Ukraine and Russia with a proposal and ultimatum so one-sided it could have been written in the Kremlin.

Kyiv must surrender the land Russia has taken by force, Crimea forever, the rest at least for now. And it must submit to an act of extortion, a proposed deal that would hand over half its mineral wealth effectively to America.

Afterwards, Zelenskyy said it had been a good meeting that could turn out to be historic "if we reach results together". They had talked, he said, about the defence of Ukraine, a full and unconditional ceasefire and a durable and lasting peace that will prevent a war restarting.

The Trump peace proposal includes only unspecified security guarantees for Ukraine from countries that do not include the US. It rules out any membership of NATO.

Ukraine's allies are watching closely to see if Mr Trump will apply any pressure on Vladimir Putin, let alone punish him for recent bloody attacks on Ukraine. Or will he simply walk away if the proposal fails, blaming Ukrainian intransigence, however outrageously, before moving onto a rapprochement with Moscow.

If he does, America's role as guarantor of international security will be seen effectively as over. This could be the week we see the world order as we have known it since the end of the Second World War buried, as well as a pope..