Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Pope Francis on October 11, 2024 during his second private audience at the Vatican since the Russian invasion. After a first meeting last June, during the G7 summit in Italy, where they had been invited by the Italian presidency of the group, this new audience was an opportunity to address the mediation mission of the Holy See within the framework of the war in Ukraine. A mission sometimes perceived with ambiguity by Ukrainians.
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A delicate mission for the Pope Francis and the Holy See in this Ukrainian matter. While the dialogue with the Moscow Patriarchate has broken down, the Vatican is mainly mobilized on mediation concerning the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine and the repatriation of Ukrainian children held back by the Russians since the start of the war.
“ The question of the repatriation of our compatriots was at the heart of my meeting with Pope Francis @Pontifex. We count on the help of the Holy See to help repatriate Ukrainians captured by Russia », wrote the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at midday on X.
Diplomatic efforts by the Vatican
Since the Russian invasion began in 2022, the Holy See has increased diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire and accelerate the process of releasing detainees, including children. On May 12, Pope Francis pleaded for “ a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia andUkraine », reaffirming the availability of the Vatican to support these efforts. The pontiff also declared having played a mediating role, thus facilitating the release of 300 Ukrainian prisoners in September 2022.
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“A just and stable peace in the country »
This private 35-minute meeting is the second audience granted by the pope to Zelensky at the Vatican since the start of the war. During their tête-à-tête, Zelensky and the pope mainly discussed humanitarian issues, while the Vatican clarified in a press release that the discussions also focused on “ the means to put an end to it, leading to a just and stable peace in the country. » Concept, which has often been misunderstood in the Vatican, according to kyiv.
Last March, Francis provoked a diplomatic crisis with kyiv after inviting the Ukrainians to “ raise the white flag and negotiate “. At the end of August, he also expressed concern for freedom of worship in Ukraine, after kyiv banned the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Exchange of symbolic gifts between Zelensky and the Pope
The meeting ended with an exchange of symbolic gifts. Pope Francis presented Zelensky with a bronze sculpture, accompanied by the words: “ Peace is a fragile flower “. In return, the Ukrainian president offered a painting depicting the massacre of Boutchaa particularly tragic episode of the war in Ukraine.
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