Pope Leo Meets Zelenskyy in Private Vatican Talks – Ukraine Ready for Peace

Accompanied by his wife, Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a private meeting with Pope Leo following the pontiff’s enthronement ceremony at the Vatican on Sunday (18.05.2025). After the tête-à-tête, Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv is prepared for negotiations in any form to achieve tangible results toward ending the war with Russia. In a Telegram post, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the Vatican for its readiness to host direct talks between Ukraine and Russia and for advocating a fair and lasting peace. “We thank the Vatican for its willingness to serve as a platform for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia,” Zelenskyy said after meeting the pontiff. This week, Pope Leo proposed the Vatican as a venue for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia to help resolve the “very difficult, dramatic situation.” The gesture comes after Leo shook hands warmly with Jay Di Van after the swearing-in ceremony, weeks following his criticism of the U.S. vice president. While the U.S. vice president did not receive an invitation for a private audience with the Pope, global leaders were welcomed.