Pope Leo, Zelenskyy Discuss Peace, Child Reunification/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Pope Leo XIV in Italy, thanking him for efforts to help return Ukrainian children taken to Russia. Both leaders proposed the Vatican as a potential venue for peace talks to end the war. Moscow has not agreed to such negotiations.
Ukraine-Vatican Talks Quick Looks
- Zelenskyy meets Pope Leo XIV near Rome
- Both propose Vatican as Ukraine-Russia peace venue
- Pope calls war “senseless” and prays for victims
- Zelenskyy urges continued help returning kidnapped children
- Vatican diplomatic envoy’s efforts have slowed publicly
- UN says ~20,000 Ukrainian children taken to Russia
- Vatican hasn’t revealed how many kids have returned
- Zelenskyy attends Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome
Deep Look
Zelenskyy Meets Pope Leo XIV, Proposes Vatican As Site For Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday at the papal summer residence in Italy, expressing gratitude for the Vatican’s efforts to help repatriate Ukrainian children taken by Russia and raising the possibility of holding future peace talks at the Vatican.
Their conversation took place in Castel Gandolfo, nestled in the Alban Hills south of Rome, where Zelenskyy traveled ahead of the fourth Ukraine Recovery Conference scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
A Push for Peace and Humanitarian Aid
According to a Vatican statement, the meeting focused on “the urgent need for a just and lasting peace.” Pope Leo reiterated his sorrow for the victims of the war and offered prayers for the Ukrainian people, while expressing readiness to host negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian officials.
“The Holy Father expressed his sorrow for the victims and renewed his prayers and closeness to the Ukrainian people, encouraging every effort aimed at the release of prisoners and the search for shared solutions,” the Vatican said. “The Holy Father reiterated the willingness to welcome representatives of Russia and Ukraine to the Vatican for negotiations.”
While the United States has also suggested the Vatican as a neutral venue for talks, Russia has so far shown no willingness to participate.
Children at the Heart of the Crisis
Speaking to journalists outside the papal villa, Zelenskyy thanked Pope Leo for supporting efforts to reunite children forcibly taken from Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
“I asked for continued help and prayers to get back our children stolen by Russia during this war,” Zelenskyy said.
The forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia has drawn global condemnation. U.N.-backed experts estimate that approximately 20,000 children have been unlawfully deported or relocated, although precise numbers remain difficult to verify.
Pope Francis earlier appointed Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi to pursue diplomatic channels aimed at facilitating the children’s return and finding paths toward peace. Zuppi embarked on high-profile visits to Kyiv, Moscow, Washington, and Beijing last year, but his visible efforts have since slowed, at least publicly.
The Vatican has not disclosed how many children may have been returned through its mediation.
Pope Leo’s Support for Ukraine
Pope Leo XIV has consistently condemned the war, describing it as “senseless.” He recently met with Ukrainian Greek Catholic bishops and pilgrims, visibly moved by their Ukrainian rendition of the “Our Father,” requesting an encore during a second meeting.
“It is not easy to find words of consolation for the families who have lost loved ones in this senseless war,” Leo said during last week’s audience with the bishops. “I imagine it is also for you, who are in daily contact with people wounded in heart and flesh.”
Zelenskyy’s visit underscores Ukraine’s continuing search for diplomatic solutions and humanitarian support amid the prolonged conflict and humanitarian crisis.
Whether the Vatican can become the bridge for direct negotiations remains to be seen, but both leaders voiced hope that dialogue could bring relief and ultimately peace to Ukraine’s battered population.
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