Ukraine’s Zelensky in Rome to meet Pope Francis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently on a visit to Rome, where he is scheduled to meet with political leaders and have an audience with Pope Francis. Zelensky expressed his anticipation for the visit, calling it an important step towards Ukraine’s victory.

The visit includes meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella, followed by a visit to the Vatican on Saturday. In preparation for the visit, a significant security operation has been initiated, involving the deployment of over 1,000 police officers and the establishment of a no-fly zone over Rome.

Pope Francis has consistently expressed his willingness to act as a mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Just a few weeks ago, he mentioned that the Vatican was working on a peace plan to end the war, although the details have not been made public yet.

The relationship between Ukraine and the Vatican has not always been smooth, as demonstrated by the Ukrainian ambassador’s rare criticism of the Pope in August. The ambassador took issue with the Pope referring to Darya Dugina, the daughter of a Russian ultra-nationalist, who was killed by a car bomb, as an “innocent” victim of war.

This meeting between President Zelensky and Pope Francis holds particular significance as it takes place in the context of Russia’s recent air strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. The attacks caused injuries and damage to critical infrastructure, residential areas, and government buildings. In response, Ukrainian forces reported progress near the city of Bakhmut.

Explosions were also reported in the Russian-occupied city of Luhansk, with accusations that Kyiv used Storm Shadow missiles, which the UK claimed to have supplied to Ukraine earlier in the week. Further reports of blasts in Luhansk emerged on Saturday.

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