On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy requested Pope Francis to support Kyiv’s peace proposal, and the Pope promised to help repatriate Russian-abducted Ukrainian children.
“It is a great honour,” Zelenskiy told Francis, who stood with a cane.
Zelenskiy met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday, who pledged military and financial support for Ukraine and reaffirmed her support for its EU membership aspiration.
Zelenskiy, visiting Rome for the first time since the war, chatted with the Pope for 40 minutes and gave him a protective jacket that a Ukrainian soldier had decorated with the Madonna.
Zelenskiy and the Pope discussed “humanitarian gestures” in private, which a Vatican official said meant the Vatican’s willingness to help repatriate Ukrainian children.
Since February 2022, Kyiv estimates about 19,500 children have been illegally deported to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea.
“We must make every effort to return them home,” Zelenskiy tweeted after discussing it with the Pope.
Zelenskiy requested the pope “join” Kyiv’s 10-point peace proposal.
It demands the removal of Russian soldiers, a ceasefire, and the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereign borders. Zelenskiy has insisted the plan is unchangeable.
The Pope tried to mediate at the start of the war, but he later strongly condemned Russia’s actions, equating them to Soviet crimes against Ukraine.
“I asked the Pope to condemn Russian actions in Ukraine. “Because the victim and aggressor cannot be equal,” Zelenskiy tweeted.
On April 30, Francis made a fascinating but ambiguous speech about the Vatican trying to stop the war after returning from Hungary. “A mission is underway but not yet public. “I’ll reveal it when it’s public,” he told reporters on his journey home.
No mission was mentioned in the Vatican statement.
Francis has prayed for peace regularly and wants to visit Kyiv and Moscow to negotiate peace. But, unfortunately, his proposition hasn’t worked.
Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella already reaffirmed Italy’s long-term military, budgetary, humanitarian, and rehabilitation support for Ukraine.
Meloni slammed Russia’s “brutal and unjust aggression” and guaranteed Italy’s support for Ukraine “as long as is necessary” at a news conference.
“You can’t achieve peace through surrender,” she replied. “It would be a very grave precedent for all nations of the world.”
She stressed Italy’s support for Ukraine’s EU membership and NATO “intensification.”
Zelenskiy’s motorcade passed Ukrainian flag-bearers on the way to the presidential palace. One person displayed a Russia-bashing sign.
Italian fighter aircraft accompanied Zelenskiy to Rome on an Italian government plane.
Saturday, German government sources informed Reuters he would visit Berlin on Sunday.
Comment Template