Zelenskyy meets with Pope in Vatican

Zelenskyy's audience with the Pope. Photo: bb.lv

Pope Francis met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Vatican on 13 May 2023, repotrttd vaticannews.va.

The Pontiff received the head of the Ukrainian state at an audience that lasted 40 minutes.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged gifts. The Pope gave Zelenskyy a sculpture with a peace branch, while the President of Ukraine presented the Pontiff with an image of the Mother of God, made on a bulletproof plate.

"I asked him to condemn Russian crimes in Ukraine for there can be no equality between a victim and an aggressor. I also spoke about our peace formula as the only effective algorithm for achieving just peace. I offered to join its implementation," Zelenskyy commented on the meeting.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Pope in person for the first time since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. Previously, they met in February 2020. Then Zelenskyy discussed at the Vatican the humanitarian situation and ways of a peaceful settlement of the conflict in the Donbas.

As reported, Zelenskyy congratulated the allies on Easter.

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