VATICAN CITY, Oct 11 (The Real Republic) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday, requesting assistance in securing the release of Ukrainians held captive by Russia. This meeting is part of Zelenskyy’s tour of major European capitals to discuss his proposed “victory plan” for the ongoing war.
Zelenskyy stated on social media that the main topic of his 35-minute conversation with the pope was the plight of the captives. He also invited the Vatican to participate in a conference on prisoners of war scheduled to take place in Canada later this month.
Today, during my visit to the Vatican, I met with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 11, 2024
We discussed the implementation of the Peace Formula, with a… pic.twitter.com/FJvxW0Dax6
While a Vatican readout did not provide specific details about the discussions with the pope, it noted that a follow-up meeting with the Vatican’s chief diplomat included conversations about the current state of the war and potential pathways to peace.
This meeting marks Zelenskyy second face-to-face encounter with Pope Francis in four months; the two previously met during a Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy in June. At the end of Friday’s meeting, Pope Francis presented Zelenskyy with a piece of bronze artwork featuring a flower beside a bird, inscribed with the phrase “Peace is a fragile flower.” In return, Zelenskyy gifted the pope an oil painting depicting a child amid the ruins of Bucha, a Ukrainian town occupied by Russian forces for 33 days in spring 2022.
BREAKING: Pope Francis and Ukrainian President Zelensky met at the Vatican, where Zelensky presented the pope with a painting titled "Bucha Massacre." pic.twitter.com/cVw8muUDHL
— The General (@GeneralMCNews) October 11, 2024
Ukraine and Western nations have accused Russian forces of committing war crimes during the occupation of Bucha, which Russia denies. Both Zelenskyy and Western officials have indicated that the war is at a critical juncture, with Ukraine seeking additional support to strengthen its position for future peace negotiations.
Pope Francis has faced criticism from Ukrainian officials for previously suggesting that Ukraine should negotiate for peace. In March, Zelenskyy dismissed the pope’s comments as “virtual mediation.”
Additionally, Pope Francis has voiced concerns regarding Ukrainian lawmakers’ plans to ban activities of a Russia-linked branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, which Kyiv accuses of spreading pro-Russian propaganda.
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