President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine will have a meeting with Pope Francis this Friday. The audience will take place in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican at 09:30 local time, Reuters reports.
This will be the fourth meeting of the Ukrainian leader with the head of the Catholic Church. The last time the two spoke was on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy last summer, and before that – in December 2023, during Zelensky’s visit to the Vatican.
In addition to the audience with the Pope, the president’s agenda in Rome will include talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. It is expected that during the meetings, the parties will discuss current issues of bilateral relations and the international situation.
It should be recalled that Pope Francis has repeatedly expressed his support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and called for the establishment of a just peace. The meeting with the Ukrainian president will be another opportunity for the pontiff to reaffirm solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
