The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, met with Pope Francis, whom he thanked for “his personal attention to the tragedy of millions of Ukrainians” and asked him to adhere to the peace plan proposed by Kiev.
The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, met this Saturday the 13th in the Vatican with Pope Francis, whom he asked to condemn “Russian crimes in Ukraine, because there can be no equality between victim and aggressor” and insisted that the ” just peace’ is the only possible one.
The pope and Zelensky met for the first time since the start of the war in the Vatican, an expected meeting that comes after the pontiff revealed that a mission is underway to end the war in Ukraine, which is still pending. details are not known.
“I met with Pope Francis” Zelensky tweeted, who was “grateful for your personal attention to the tragedy of millions of Ukrainians” and explained that they spoke of “the tens of thousands of deported Ukrainian children. We must do everything we can to return them home.”
“Furthermore, I asked him to condemn Russia’s crimes in Ukraine. Because there can be no equality between victim and aggressor,” said the Ukrainian president.
I met Pope Francis @Pontifex.
I’m grateful for his personal attention to the tragedy of millions of Ukrainians. I spoke about tens of thousands of deported ?? children. We must make every effort to return them home.
In addition, I asked to condemn ?? crimes in Ukraine.…— Volodimir Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) May 13, 2023
The Vatican added through a statement that the meeting lasted about 40 minutes and that “the topics of the conversation refer to the humanitarian and political situation in Ukraine caused by the ongoing war.”
In addition, “both agreed on the need to continue humanitarian efforts to support the population” and “the Pope stressed in particular the urgent need for ‘gestures of humanity’ towards the most fragile people, innocent victims of the conflict.”
*Read also: AFP journalist killed by rocket fire in eastern Ukraine
The pope gave Zelensky a bronze work depicting an olive branch, a symbol of peace, as well as this year’s Message for Peace, the Document on Human Fraternity, and the volume “An Encyclical on Peace in Ukraine.” .
The Ukrainian president, for his part, presented him with a work of art made from a bulletproof vest and a painting titled “Loss”, about the killing of children during the conflict.
With information from Deutsche Welle
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