Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was received by Pope Francis on Saturday during his visit to Rome. The 40-minute conversation took place in the presence of an interpreter, the Vatican said. Selenskyj had previously held talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
“The Pope and Zelenskyy agree that humanitarian efforts to support the population must continue. In particular, the Pope stressed the urgent need for gestures of humanity towards the most vulnerable people, the innocent victims of the conflict,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said after the meeting.
Pope presented Selenskyj symbol of peace
Pope Francis presented the President of Ukraine with a small sculpture depicting an olive branch, the symbol of peace. The President of Ukraine presented the Pope with an icon of the Mother of God, painted on the remains of a bulletproof vest. “Thank you for this visit,” the pope said, greeting Zelenskyy. “It’s a great honor,” the president replied.
The arrival for the talks with Pope Francis was delayed by a good hour because Selenskyj had previously met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The conversation had gone on longer than planned.
Pope continues to advocate for a peaceful solution
The meeting between the pope and the Ukrainian president did not take place in the Apostolic Palace, as is customary for heads of state, but in the so-called Auletta – a room next to the audience hall of the Vatican.
Since the beginning of Russia’s offensive war against Ukraine, the pope has been committed to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. He had not ruled out a trip to Kiev. It was the Pope himself who spoke of a possible Vatican peacekeeping mission between Russia and Ukraine. Something is happening, Pope Francis surprisingly told the world press on April 30 in the airspace between Budapest and Rome. But he wouldn’t say more about it.
Meeting with Mattarella and Meloni
Zelenskyj also met with President Sergio Mattarella in Rome on Saturday. “We are for peace, our victory is peace,” Zelenskyy stressed. The Italian president stressed: “The peace we all work for must restore justice and international law. It must be real peace and not surrender.”
“Ukraine’s future is a future of peace and freedom in Europe,” said Meloni, guaranteeing Ukraine full support with arms supplies and humanitarian aid.
Source: Krone
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