Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met this morning with Pope Leo at the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo, just outside Rome. Later this afternoon, Zelensky is scheduled to be received by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
According to a written statement issued by the Vatican, the meeting was marked by “a warm and cordial conversation, centered primarily on the war in Ukraine.” The Holy Father reiterated “the need to continue dialogue” and strongly expressed his hope that ongoing diplomatic initiatives will “lead to a lasting and just peace.”
The Vatican also emphasized that the discussion included the situation of prisoners of war and “the urgent need to secure the return of Ukrainian children to their families.”
Reporting by ANA-MPA correspondent Th. Andreadis-Synggelakis
