President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had his first phone conversation with newly elected Pope Leo XIV and invited him to Ukraine.
"It was our first conversation, but it was very warm and really substantive. I thanked him for his support of Ukraine and all our people. We greatly appreciate the words of His Holiness about the need to achieve a just and lasting peace for our country and the release of prisoners," the Ukrainian president wrote in his Telegram channel.
He noted that he had spoken with the Pope about thousands of Ukrainian children deported by Russia and that Ukraine counts on the Vatican's assistance in bringing them home.
"I informed him of the agreement between Ukraine and our partners that a full, unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days should begin today (12 May - Ed.), and confirmed our readiness for further negotiations in any format, including direct talks, which we have repeatedly emphasised. Ukraine wants to end this war and is doing everything to do so. We expect reciprocal steps from Russia," Zelenskyy said, adding that he had invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine, and this visit "would bring real hope to all believers, to all our people."
"We agreed to keep in touch and plan a personal meeting in the near future," the President concluded.
- The newly elected Pope Leo XIV accused Russia of aggression against Ukraine, accompanied by crimes against humanity, and called on Russia to lay down its arms.
- In his first Sunday address, he also called for peace in Ukraine.
- The new Pope was elected in the fourth round of voting by the conclave. It was a 69-year-old American, Robert Prevost, who chose the name Leo XIV. What his election means for Ukraine is described in the article by LB.ua.