Pope Leo XIV met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the third time, calling once again for a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine. The private meeting took place at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo.
According to the Vatican, the discussion was “friendly and focused on the war in Ukraine.” The Pope emphasized the importance of continued international dialogue and expressed hope that recent diplomatic initiatives would advance peace. A key point of discussion was the issue of prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children forcibly displaced to Russia.
Pope Leo XIV confirmed the continuation of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi’s humanitarian mission, aimed at mediating between Moscow and Kyiv in the exchange of both civilian and military prisoners, as well as the repatriation of forcibly displaced children.
President Zelensky arrived at Villa Barberini around 09:40, accompanied by Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash, and was welcomed by representatives of the Papal Household Prefecture and the Swiss Guard. The private meeting lasted about 30 minutes, after which both leaders appeared together on the residence balcony overlooking Lake Castel Gandolfo. Zelensky departed around 10:20.
This meeting follows a series of recent diplomatic engagements for Zelensky, including meetings in London with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as part of ongoing peace negotiations. Later today, he is scheduled to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi.
This marks the third in-person meeting between Pope Leo XIV and President Zelensky. Their first meeting occurred on May 18, coinciding with the Pope’s inaugural Mass, followed by a phone call on May 12 and a second in-person meeting on July 9 at the Pope’s summer residence in Colli Albani.
