“I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers, to all our people.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Ukraine during their first phone call on Monday, thanking the pontiff for his calls for peace. Zelensky emphasized the Vatican’s role in mediating prisoner exchanges and efforts to repatriate thousands of Ukrainian children deported by Russia. “I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers, to all our people,” Zelensky said.
The leaders also discussed a joint ceasefire proposal by Ukraine and its allies, agreeing to arrange an in-person meeting soon. Kyiv has repeatedly sought international support to return children taken from occupied territories. The Vatican has previously assisted in humanitarian efforts, though Russia denies systematic deportations.