Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with Pope Francis and Italian leaders in Rome, according to the Vatican.
Zelenskyy will meet with Giorgia Meloni, who ardently supports military and other assistance for Ukraine, and President Sergio Mattarella at midday.
Due to security concerns, Zelenskyy’s precise schedule was not made public, and the Vatican only confirmed a papal meeting shortly before the Ukrainian president was anticipated to arrive in Rome.
As part of protective measures, Italian state television reported that a no-fly zone was imposed over Rome and police sharpshooters were strategically situated on high structures.
Meloni met Zelenskyy in Kyiv before Russia’s full-scale invasion’s 24th anniversary.
Francis, who desires harmony, conferred with the Ukrainian leader for the last time in 2020.
In his words, the pontiff makes frequent impassioned appeals on behalf of the “martyred” people of Ukraine.
Francis told reporters on his flight back to Rome from Hungary at the end of April that the Vatican was engaged in a peace mission behind the scenes, but he did not provide any details. Russia and Ukraine have neither confirmed such an initiative.
