Pope Leo XIV appealed for peace in Ukraine from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica throughout his first Sunday tackle after his election, on Sunday Could 11, 2025
Domenico Stinellis/AP
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Domenico Stinellis/AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to Pope Leo XIV, asking the brand new pope for assist in bringing residence youngsters deported from Ukraine to Russia.
The Ukrainian president additionally stated he invited the brand new pope to go to Ukraine and the 2 males “agreed to remain involved and plan (an) in-person assembly within the close to future.”
Zelenskyy stated a go to from the brand new pope “would convey actual hope to all believers and to all our folks.”
The cellphone name adopted the pope’s attraction for peace in Ukraine throughout an tackle from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday afternoon.
On Monday, Zelenskyy posted on X about his first dialog with Leo, saying he thanked the Pope for his assist of Ukraine.
“We deeply worth his phrases about the necessity to obtain a simply and lasting peace for our nation and the discharge of prisoners,” stated the Ukrainian president.
Zelenskyy stated additionally they mentioned “the 1000’s of Ukrainian youngsters deported by Russia.”
Ukraine “counts on the Vatican’s help in bringing them residence to their households,” Zelenskyy stated.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior Kremlin officers have financed and facilitated the transport of Ukrainian youngsters in Russian-occupied elements of Ukraine into coerced foster care and adoptions for the reason that 2022 invasion, in accordance with an investigation launched by Yale College’s Humanitarian Analysis Lab. The Trump administration minimize the lab’s funding in March.
On March 19, Zelenskky stated he had a optimistic, very substantive, and frank” dialog with U.S. President Donald Trump about, amongst different issues, “the return of Ukrainian youngsters who have been taken by Russian forces.”
