Following their private meeting at the Vatican, Pope Francis informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he still prays for world peace.
In addition, the Pope emphasised the critical need to assist “the most vulnerable people, the innocent victims” of Russia’s all-out assault last year.
Earlier, Mr. Zelenskiy had a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who gave him the assurance that Rome would back a unified Ukraine.
A no-fly zone is established over Rome, and more than 1,000 police officers are on duty.
The Holy See said in a statement on Saturday that Pope Francis and President Zelensky “discussed the humanitarian and political situation in Ukraine due to the ongoing war ” in a meeting that lasted approximately 40 minutes.
Pope and Ukraine President Zielinski
Both the Pope and Ukraine President Zielinski “agreed on the necessity of continuing humanitarian efforts to assist the population.”
The statement continued, “The Pope has assured us of his constant prayer and constant prayer to the Lord for peace – since last February. when Russian President Vladimir Putin had authorized the extensive onslaught.
The Vatican has frequently stated its willingness to serve as a mediator in the dispute between Russia and Ukraine, according to Pope Francis.
He said that the Vatican was developing a peace strategy to resolve the conflict earlier this month, adding that the mission was “not yet public. I will discuss it once it is open to the public.
However, there have been some tense moments in the Vatican and Ukrainian ties.
The Pope stated in an interview that Moscow’s invasion was “perhaps somehow provoked” a few months after the conflict in Ukraine started.
And in August of last year, the Ukrainian envoy to the Vatican made the unheard-of move of denouncing the Pope for referring to Darya Dugina. The daughter of a prominent Russian ultranationalist who was killed by a vehicle bomb, as a “innocent” war victim.
