Pope Leo XIV met with Ukraine's Zelenskyy in Castel Gandolfo, reiterating Vatican’s offer to host Russia–Ukraine peace talks and called for return of kidnapped children. (Image courrtesy: X/@ZelenskyyUa)
Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday reiterated his readiness to host peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia as he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Castel Gandolfo, his summer retreat following May’s Vatican visit, Reuters reported. According to the Vatican, the duo discussed “the urgent need for a just and lasting peace.”
“The Holy Father reiterated the willingness to welcome representatives of Russia and Ukraine to the Vatican for negotiations,” a Vatican statement read, according to The Associated Press.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy called a Vatican-hosted peace talk “entirely possible, with the goal of stopping Russian aggression and achieving a stable, lasting, and genuine peace.”
Stressing that Moscow had dismissed such proposals, Zelenskyy thanked the “American pope” for the Vatican’s efforts to reunite whom he said were children taken by Russia as he urged support and prayers to get back “our children stolen by Russia during this war.”
“We will continue to strengthen global solidarity so that diplomacy can still succeed. I especially thanked the Pope for his support of Ukrainian children, particularly those returned from Russian captivity. Ukrainian children now have the opportunity for rehabilitation and rest in Italy, and such hospitality and sincerity are extremely important. Today, we also discussed the Vatican’s continued efforts to help return Ukrainian children abducted by Russia,” Zelenskyy wrote.
The Vatican previously appointed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi to assist in returning deported children, with UN experts estimating around 20,000 have been affected, as reported by the AP.
In June, Pope Leo held a phone call with President Vladimir Putin, during which he reportedly urged the Russian leader to take “concrete steps to end Russia’s three‑year war on Ukraine,” according to a Vatican readout.
Videos circulating online showed Leo greeting Zelenskyy with, “How are things going?”
Meanwhile, Russian officials have said that they don’t regard the Vatican a viable host since it’s surrounded by NATO country Italy, Reuters reported.
Zelenskyy is in Italy for a July 10–11 conference on Ukraine’s recovery.
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