Pope calls for ‘just and lasting peace’ after meeting Ukraine’s Zelensky
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Pope Leo XIV meets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at Villa Barberini in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, on Dec 9.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy - Pope Leo called for continued dialogue to seek a “just and lasting peace” during a meeting on Dec 9 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Vatican said.
His comments echoed Mr Zelensky’s frequent demands for a “just” peace as the Ukrainian leader tries to ensure that any agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine is balanced and does not overly favour Moscow.
The Pope “reiterated the need for the continuation of dialogue and expressed his urgent desire that the current diplomatic initiatives bring about a just and lasting peace”, the Vatican said in a statement issued after a meeting at the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo outside Rome.
“In addition, the questions of prisoners of war and the need to assure the return of Ukrainian children to their families were also discussed,” said the Vatican, which has mediated between Kyiv and Moscow on the issue related to children.
Ukraine rules out ceding territory
Mr Zelensky, who arrived in Italy after talks in London on Dec 8, thanked the pontiff “for his constant prayers for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, as well as for his calls for a just peace”, and invited him to visit Ukraine.
“I informed the Pope about diplomatic efforts with the United States to achieve peace. We discussed further actions and the Vatican’s mediation aimed at returning our children abducted by Russia,” Mr Zelensky wrote on social media platform X.
Ukraine accuses Russia of abducting at least 19,000 of its children to Russia or Russian-occupied territory without the consent of family or guardians after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has denied abducting Ukrainian children, saying it acted to keep them safe from the fighting.
Mr Zelensky, who is under pressure from President Donald Trump to accept a US-backed peace agreement
The Ukrainian leader has ruled out ceding territory to Russia, and he and his European allies are concerned that the US-backed deal bows to many of Moscow’s key demands, does not fully address their security concerns and would reward Russia for invading Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz offered Zelenskiy their support after talks on Dec 8.
The Ukrainian leader, who was also due to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni while in Italy, said on Dec 8 that Kyiv would share a revised peace plan with the United States on Dec 9.
Pope Leo, who was elected in May, has followed in the footsteps of his late predecessor Francis in repeatedly calling for an end to the war in Ukraine and at one point suggested he could host peace talks. The offer was never taken up. REUTERS
