Zelenskyy and Pope Leo XIV to hold first official meeting in Vatican
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: RBC-Ukraine, Vitalii Nosach)
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Pope Leo XIV will hold a closed meeting on Sunday, May 18. This will be their first official meeting, according to the president’s press secretary, Serhii Nykyforov.
According to him, the audience of the President of Ukraine and the First Lady with Pope Leo XIV will take place today after the official mass.
Earlier, the publication Sky News reported that the Pope would hold a private meeting with Zelenskyy this afternoon.
On Monday, May 12, the Pope had already spoken with Zelenskyy by phone. The President of Ukraine became the first foreign leader with whom the new pontiff spoke.
Ascension of Leo XIV to the throne
Today in the Vatican, the ceremony of enthronement of the new Pope Leo XIV took place. He became the first pontiff from the USA. Over 250,000 people were present at the inauguration mass, as well as 150 delegations from different countries of the world and representatives of international organizations.
During the mass, Pope Leo XIV mentioned Ukraine and said that "negotiations for a just peace are expected."
Statements of the Pope about Ukraine
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the new pontiff on May 8 on the second day of the conclave. He was born and raised in the USA but spent a lot of time in South America and even obtained Peruvian citizenship — more about Pope Leo XIV — in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
During his first masses and messages, Pope Leo XIV mentioned Ukraine. In recent days, he was handed lists of Ukrainian soldiers who are in Russian captivity.
According to the chief diplomat of the Holy See, the pontiff plans to propose holding negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in the Vatican.
