Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, on Tuesday December 9th met with Pope Leo XIV at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, before heading to talks with Giorgia Meloni in Rome, part of a broader European diplomatic tour aimed at securing firm support for Kyiv in its war efforts.
During the 30‑minute audience with the Pope, Vatican officials said discussion centered on securing a just and lasting peace, humanitarian concerns including the fate of prisoners of war, and efforts to ensure the safe return of Ukrainian children reportedly deported by Russia.
Zelenskyy later met with Italy’s Prime Minister, Meloni, to brief her on Kyiv’s negotiating position and coordinate on diplomatic strategy as Western allies debated a proposed peace plan, one that Ukraine has resisted because it demands territorial concessions to Russia.
The meetings come on the heels of previous stops in London, Paris and Berlin. Zelenskyy’s tour underscores Ukraine’s effort to consolidate European political support especially at a time when U.S.-led proposals have generated concern in several EU capitals over fairness and future security guarantees.
