President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about a productive meeting with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, during which ways to achieve peace in Ukraine were discussed
According to the head of state, this conversation marked an important step in international efforts aimed at restoring peace, and also highlighted the Vatican’s unwavering support for maintaining Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a Facebook post, Zelenskyy emphasized that during the meeting, special attention was given to issues of just and long-lasting peace. He also noted that efforts by both Ukraine and its international partners — the United States and the European Union — to establish a complete and unconditional ceasefire were discussed. The President underscored that Ukraine firmly believes that the aggressor country should not impose peace agreements on its own terms, and that any agreements must be based on principles of justice and legality. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for the support of Ukraine’s right to self-defense, stressing that the Holy See is ready to continue facilitating international efforts to achieve peace, as well as assisting in the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia and the release of prisoners. This represents not only political efforts but also human support, which is of great importance to Ukrainian society and each of the affected individuals. It is worth noting that on the eve, Zelenskyy also reported on his meeting with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, which complemented his diplomatic dialogue with representatives of the Holy See. The importance of these meetings lies in Ukraine’s goal to intensify international support and engage influential global institutions in seeking lasting solutions within the context of the war and the humanitarian crisis. Thus, the engagement of senior diplomatic representatives from the Vatican once again demonstrates Ukraine’s desire to involve creative and humanitarian mechanisms of support to overcome the current challenge — promoting peace and stabilizing the situation. It is expected that such diplomatic steps will further facilitate increased international pressure on the aggressor and help restore Kyiv’s path to peace.