Volodymr Zelenskyy arrives in Rome for meetings with Pope Francis, Italian leaders

The Vatican says that Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy will meet with Pope Francis during a trip to Rome

May 13, 2023 02:30 pm | Updated 04:23 pm IST - ROME

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. | Photo Credit: AP

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy arrived in Rome on Saturday for meetings with Pope Francis and Italian leaders, Italian state media reported.

Mr. Zelenskyy arrived at Rome’s Ciampino airport, with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on hand to greet him, the ANSA news agency said.

Mr. Zelenskyy will hold midday meetings with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who staunchly backs military and other aid for Ukraine, and with President Sergio Mattarella.

Mr. Zelenskyy’s exact schedule wasn’t being publicly announced because of security concerns, and the Vatican only confirmed a papal meeting shortly before the Ukrainian president's expected arrival in Rome.

Italian state television reported that as part of protective measures, a no-fly zone was ordered for Rome skies and police sharpshooters were strategically placed on high buildings.

Meloni met with Mr. Zelenskyy in Kyiv, shortly before the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.

Mr. Francis, who is eager for peace, last met with the Ukrainian leader in 2020.

The pontiff makes frequent impassioned pleas on behalf of Ukraine's “martyred" people, in his words.

At the end of April, flying back to Rome from a trip to Hungary, Francis told reporters on the plane that the Vatican was involved in a behind-the-scene peace mission but gave no details. Neither Russia nor Ukraine has confirmed such an initiative.

The German Government, meanwhile, said it was providing Ukraine with additional military aid worth more than 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion), including tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition.

The announcement on May 13 came as preparations were underway in Berlin for a possible first visit to Germany by Zelenskyy since Russia invaded his country last year.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin wants to show with the latest package of arms “that Germany is serious in its support” for Ukraine.

“Germany will provide all the help it can, as long as it takes,” he said.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.