Ukraine "deeply appreciates" the humanitarian support of Pope Leo XIV. This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after a meeting between the two at the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo, on Tuesday, 9 December.
The Holy See Press Office described the meeting between Pope Leo and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as cordial, noting that discussions focused primarily on the war in Ukraine.
During their talks, the Pope emphasized the importance of continued dialogue and reiterated his “urgent hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts will lead to a just and lasting peace.”
His comments echoed Zelenskyy's frequent demands for a "just" peace as the Ukrainian leader tries to ensure that any agreement to end Russia's war in Ukraine is balanced and does not overly favour Moscow.
The two leaders also addressed the issue of prisoners of war and stressed the need to ensure the safe return of Ukrainian children to their families.
Zelenskyy, who arrived in Italy following talks in London on Monday (8 December), expressed gratitude to Pope Leo for his “constant prayers for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, as well as for his calls for a just peace.”
He also extended an invitation for the pontiff to visit Ukraine.
“I briefed the Pope on diplomatic efforts with the United States to achieve peace,” President Zelenskyy wrote on the platform X.
“We discussed further actions and the Vatican’s mediation aimed at securing the return of our children abducted by Russia,” he added.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome later in the day.
His meetings with both the Pope and Meloni come amid ongoing efforts, supported by European allies, to counterbalance a U.S.-backed draft peace plan with Russia that is widely viewed as favorable to Moscow.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrai...
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the ...
Indonesian rescuers are searching for 130 people after a passenger ship carrying 243 people sank in the Java Sea following bad weather, while 113 p...
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
Dubai’s property market has spent years climbing. Now, for the first time since 2021, prices are moving in the opposite direction.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad saying the strike originated from Iraq.
Swedes vote in an election on Sunday (13 September) that could see the far-right enter government for the first time if the country's right-wing parties can form a majority.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
Indonesian rescuers are searching for 130 people after a passenger ship carrying 243 people sank in the Java Sea following bad weather, while 113 people have been evacuated and six have died, the country’s search and rescue agency said on Sunday.
China will lead the creation of an open source platform among BRICS members to promote cooperation on large language models, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday.
Swedes vote in an election on Sunday (13 September) that could see the far-right enter government for the first time if the country's right-wing parties can form a majority.
Philippine rescuers recovered 41 more charred remains from a ferry fire on Saturday (12 September), taking the death toll to 76, while 13 people remained unaccounted for as forensic teams worked to identify the victims.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment