Ukraine war: Pope tells Zelensky he is ‘praying for peace’

Pope Francis has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he will always pray for peace after the two met privately in the Vatican.

The Pope also stressed the urgent need to help “the most vulnerable, the innocent victims” of the all-out aggression launched by Russia last year.

Mr Zelensky had previously met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, pledging Rome’s support for a united Ukraine.

More than 1,000 police are deployed and a no-fly zone has been established over Rome.

In a statement on Saturday, the Vatican said Pope Francis and President Zelensky had met for about 40 minutes to “discuss the humanitarian and political situation in Ukraine caused by the ongoing war.”

Argentina’s Pope and President Zelensky “both agreed on the need to continue humanitarian efforts to help the people.”

“His Holiness has promised to continue praying and praying for peace to the Lord since last February, when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion,” the statement added.

Pope Francis has repeatedly said that the Vatican is ready to act as a mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Earlier this month, he said the Vatican was working on a peace plan to end the war, adding that the mission “has not been made public yet. I will talk about it when it is made public.”

But relations between Ukraine and the Vatican can sometimes be tense.

Months after the start of the Ukraine war, the Pope said in an interview that the invasion of Moscow was “probably provoked for some reason.”

And last August, Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican took the unusual step of criticizing the Pope after he called Daria Dugina, the daughter of Russian ultranationalist who died in a car bomb, an “innocent” victim. took war.

Earlier Saturday, President Zelensky met with President Sergio Mattarella, followed by a working lunch with Meloni.

Italy has historically had strong ties with Moscow.

Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the conservative party Forza Italia, is an old friend of Putin. We went on trips together and exchanged birthday presents.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has frequently expressed pro-Russian sentiments and criticized military aid to Ukraine. Zelensky does not plan to meet Mr Salvini or Mr Berlusconi during his visit.

At a press conference after Zelensky and Meloni’s meeting, the Ukrainian leader invited “all Italian political leaders and representatives of civil society” to visit Ukraine.

He said they could “see what one person could do for us, what Putin could do, and understand why we are fighting this evil.” let’s,” he said.

Meloni stressed that the war would only end if Russia stopped its “brutal and unjust aggression” and withdrew from all of Ukraine.

The prime minister also pledged Italy’s support to Ukraine “as long as it is necessary”.

Meanwhile, the German government announced its largest military aid program to date to Ukraine, worth a total of €2.7 billion ($2.2 billion). President Zelensky’s adviser Mikhaylo Podoljak said the aid showed Russia was “doomed to lose and sit on the bench of historical disgrace”.

Earlier this week, German media reported that President Zelensky was planning a visit to Germany following his visit to Italy, but this has not yet been confirmed.