On July 9, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with Pope Leo XIV at the papal residence near Rome.
Points of attention
- President Zelenskyy met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican to discuss resolving the conflict in Ukraine and pursuing peace.
- Pope Leo XIV expressed willingness to facilitate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine at the Vatican.
Zelenskyy met with the Pope
Pope Leo XIV informed Zelenskyy that he was ready to receive representatives of Russia and Ukraine at the Vatican for negotiations.
The statement said the pontiff also discussed with Zelensky "the urgent need for a just and lasting peace."
Zelenskyy thanked Pope Leo XIV for the meeting, hospitality, and support — both spiritual and practical. He noted that he had discussed with the pontiff the issue of returning to Ukraine children abducted by Russia during the war, and stressed the importance of this topic.
Zelenskyy also emphasized the shared desire for peace and an end to the war and stated that Ukraine counts on the role of the Vatican and the Pope in facilitating dialogue at the highest level to end the war.
Si tratta di una questione molto importante, ne abbiamo parlato. Naturalmente vogliamo che questa guerra finisca, e naturalmente contiamo molto sul Vaticano, che il Vaticano e Sua Santità possano aiutarci con un luogo di incontro ad alto livello, per finire questa guerra. Grazie” pic.twitter.com/09RlZsVrs6
— Vatican News (@vaticannews_it) July 9, 2025
The meeting took place during the Ukrainian President's visit to Italy. He is also scheduled to meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
In Italy, Zelenskyy will also meet with US Special Representative Keith Kellogg as part of the Ukraine Recovery Conference, scheduled for July 10-11.
