Zelensky invites Pope to Ukraine seeking peace and hope
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Ukraine during a conversation with the new leader of the Catholic Church.
Key information
- President Zelensky invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Ukraine.
- The phone conversation focused on peace and the fate of children deported by Russia.
- Zelensky expressed gratitude to the pope for his support and discussed a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.
President Zelensky, during a phone call with Pope Leo XIV, extended an invitation for an apostolic visit to Ukraine, which could bring hope to all believers and the Ukrainian people, as reported by the Polish Press Agency.
I spoke with Pope Leo XIV. It was our first conversation, but already a very warm and truly substantive one. (…) I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people – conveyed Zelensky.
Zelensky emphasized that the pope's visit would bring hope to all believers in Ukraine. The President expressed his gratitude for the pope’s support for Ukraine and its citizens, emphasizing the importance of achieving a just and lasting peace.
Ceasefire proposal
During the conversation, Zelensky informed the pope about the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. Ukraine seeks to end the war and expects appropriate steps from Russia. The President of Ukraine noted that they will remain in contact and plan a personal meeting in the future.
Ukraine wants to end this war and is doing everything to achieve that. We now await similar steps from Russia. (…) We agreed to stay in contact and plan in-person meeting in the near future – stated the President of Ukraine.
On Saturday, the leaders of Ukraine, Poland, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom called on Russia to accept the ceasefire, threatening sanctions on the Russian energy and banking sectors. U.S. President Donald Trump also supported the ceasefire proposal.
