Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday lauded the Vatican’s initiatives in promoting peace and facilitating the release of prisoners of war. This praise followed discussions with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, highlighting a shift from previous tensions between Kyiv and the Holy See.
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for “the signal” Cardinal Parolin’s visit to Kyiv represented, describing it as a show of support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and peace aspirations. “It is a signal of support for Ukraine, Ukrainians and our desire to live in our own state and truly live in peace,” Zelenskyy remarked in his nightly video address.
Cardinal Parolin, effectively the second-highest-ranking official in the Vatican, visited four Ukrainian cities. Discussions during his visit centered on achieving “a just peace for Ukraine” and addressing immediate humanitarian concerns, particularly the release of prisoners of war.
“It is very important for us and for the cause of peace that the Vatican is active in protecting life and helping us implement the peace formula, especially regarding the release of prisoners,” Zelenskyy emphasized, referencing Ukraine’s peace plan discussed at the recent Swiss-organized peace summit.
Zelenskyy characterized the meeting as productive, expressing hope for tangible outcomes.
Relations between Ukraine and the Vatican have been strained since the Russian invasion in February 2022. Ukraine previously objected to Pope Francis’s comments suggesting Kyiv should show the “courage of the ‘white flag’” and negotiate an end to the conflict. Additionally, Kyiv criticized the Pope for expressing sympathy for the daughter of a Russian ultra-nationalist killed near Moscow, whom he referred to as an innocent victim of the war.
Despite these tensions, a papal envoy has visited both Kyiv and Moscow to advocate for the return of Ukrainian children reportedly deported by Russia. Pope Francis has consistently called for peace and condemned attacks throughout the conflict, including a recent strike on medical facilities in Kyiv.
The relationship between Kyiv and the Vatican is also reinforced by the presence of approximately 5 million eastern-rite Catholics in Ukraine.
