This was their fourth meeting.
The humanitarian situation in the country and the law banning the Orthodox Church affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate were at the heart of discussions, between the Pope and president and with other staff.
Zelensky arrived at the Vatican at around 9:35 am, accompanied by a long escort of some 30 vehicles, while a helicopter remained static in the Roman sky to ensure his safety. He was received by Pope Francis for 35 minutes.
The director of the Vatican press office, Matteo Bruni, told journalists that Pope Francis had spoken of peace and “his concern for children who lose their smiles in war.”
In addition to his texts on peace, the Pope presented the Ukrainian president with a bronze work titled Peace Is a Fragile Flower.
For his part, the Ukrainian head of state, still dressed in his traditional fatigues as head of the army of a country at war, presented the Pope with a painting titled Le massacre de Boutcha. The story of Marichka.
This work refers to the massacre of 637 civilians by the Russian army in March 2022 in this town northwest of Kiev.
Zelensky later reported on the meeting on X (formerly Twitter).
The issue of bringing our people home from captivity was the main focus of my meeting with Pope Francis @Pontifex. We are counting on the Holy See’s assistance in helping to bring back Ukrainians who have been taken captive by Russia.
Concern for religious freedom in Ukraine
The president then met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope's Secretary of State, who visited Ukraine last summer. In a brief press release, the Secretariat of State explained that the talks on October 11 focused on “the state of the war and the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, as well as on ways to put an end to it, leading to a just and stable peace in the country.”
The communiqué stated that “certain questions relating to religious life in the country were also examined.”
This may refer to the law banning the Orthodox Church affiliated to the Moscow Patriarchate, a legislative development regarded by the Holy See as an attack on religious freedom.
4th meeting in 4 years
The meeting on October 11, 2024 was the fourth between Volodymyr Zelensky and Pope Francis. The Ukrainian president, elected in 2019, made his first visit to the Vatican on February 8, 2020, shortly before the Covid-19 shutdown.
After suspending international travel for almost a year following the Russian offensive on February 24, 2022, President Zelensky was received by Pope Francis on May 13, 2023. During this high-profile audience, the two leaders agreed on the “need to continue humanitarian efforts in support of the population.”
That same evening, as a guest on the popular Italian TV program Porta a Porta, the Ukrainian president rejected the idea of direct mediation by the Holy See, insisting that the peace plan had to come from the Ukrainians themselves.
The Pope and the President last met on June 14 in Bari, on the sidelines of the G7 summit organized by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. That meeting lasted just a few minutes. At the end of the meeting, the president thanked the Pope for “his prayers for peace in Ukraine” and for his humanitarian commitment to his people, while insisting on the importance of supporting the “formula for peace” defended by Kiev.
Tricky relationship
Relations between Ukraine and the Holy See have gone through several phases of tension, given Pope Francis' line of keeping the channels of communication open with Russia. The mediation undertaken since 2023 by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who has visited Kiev, Moscow, Washington, and Beijing to work for the release of hostages and prisoners, is nevertheless appreciated by the Ukrainian government.
After the return of 10 prisoners -- including two Catholic priests -- last June as part of an exchange, the president personally thanked the Vatican for its role in the transaction.
Pope Francis' week was also marked by his meeting on October 10 with the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk.
“The Holy Father is truly concerned about the civilian population, about everything that is happening in Ukraine, about the vulnerable people who are suffering the most,” the patriarch explained at the end of the meeting.
A Ukrainian cardinal
To everyone's surprise, on October 6, Pope Francis announced the creation as cardinal of a Ukrainian bishop, who leads the Ukrainian Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul in Melbourne (Australia).
Co-operation with Italy
The president's visit to Rome was also intended to strengthen his cooperation with the Italian government. Received on the evening of October 10 by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President Zelensky said he had had “a very productive discussion” with her about the “victory plan” drawn up by Kiev.
In a statement posted on his X account, the Ukrainian president explained that he wanted to strengthen Ukraine's positions and relations with its closest partners.
Mentioning the military and economic support provided by the Meloni government, the Ukrainian head of state also welcomed the organization of the next conference for the recovery of Ukraine, to be held in Italy in 2025 and expected to involve 77 countries and nearly 500 companies.
“It is truly valuable to have such reliable friends,” tweeted the Ukrainian president.