Zelenskyy to meet Pope Francis in Rome: Italian officials

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit Italy on Saturday to meet with government officials and Pope Francis. Although the trip has not been officially confirmed for security reasons, multiple sources expect him to meet separately with President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before heading to the Vatican. Zelenskyy’s trip to Italy marks his first visit to the country since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

The most significant part of Zelenskyy’s time in Italy is expected to be his meeting with Pope Francis. The Pope has been involved in a peace mission to end the war with Russia, and he has repeatedly expressed a wish to act as a broker between Kyiv and Moscow. His offer has so far failed to produce any breakthrough, but he continues to advocate for peace and has a standing invitation from Zelenskyy to visit Kyiv.

During his meeting with the pope, Zelenskyy is likely to discuss his 10-point peace plan, which calls for the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, withdrawal of Russian troops, and cessation of hostilities. The plan has been vigorously promoted by Zelenskyy and his team, who have urged world leaders to hold a Global Peace Summit based on the proposals. Zelenskyy has repeatedly said that the plan is not open to negotiations.

The pope has also expressed his willingness to help repatriate Ukrainian children who have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea since February 2022. Kyiv estimates that nearly 19,500 children have been illegally deported.