Global Courant 2023-05-13 22:07:23
Pope Francis and the Ukrainian president, Volodomir Zelenski, agreed today on “the need to continue with the humanitarian efforts to support the population” that is suffering from the war in Ukraine.
The Pope and Zelensky met today, 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, in the details of which are not yet known.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the Vatican explained 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.”
“The Pope has assured his constant prayer, witnessed by his numerous public appeals and continuous invocation to the Lord for peace, since February of last year,” when the Russian invasion began that sparked the conflict more than a year ago.
In addition, “both agreed on the need to continue with 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.”
The pope gave him a bronze work representing 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 pope and Zelensky exchanged gifts at the Vatican. (Free Press Photo: AFP)
The Ukrainian president, for his part, presented him with a work of art made from a bulletproof vest and a painting entitled “Loss”, about the killing of children during the conflict.
This May 13, the pope and Zelensky exchanged gifts. (Free Press Photo: AFP)
It is the first meeting of the pope with the Ukrainian president since the war began, although both already know each other because Francis received Zelensky in audience on February 8, 2020, when they already talked about “the humanitarian situation and the search for peace.” ” in the context “of the conflict that, since 2014, plagues Ukraine.
The meeting comes in the midst of the Vatican peace mission announced by the pontiff on the return flight from his recent trip to Hungary and of which the details are not yet known, although a Vatican source has told Russian media that the meeting ” is not directly related” to her and that Zelensky requested the meeting with Francisco “just a few days ago.”
In addition, the visit occurs when an imminent Ukrainian counteroffensive is expected with which kyiv wants to reconquer a large part of the territory occupied by Moscow.
For all these reasons, the meeting had raised great expectations, given the possibility that you could open a spiral of dialogue in the conflict.
