Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, received by Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday, asked him for diplomatic support from the Holy See to help repatriate Ukrainians detained by Moscow, as part of his 48-hour European tour to obtain more support against the Russian invasion before a difficult winter.
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Before going to Berlin, Mr. Zelensky was received by the Pope for 35 minutes. It was the second private audience granted to the Ukrainian president at the Vatican since the Russian invasion in 2022, following a 40-minute interview in May 2023, but the two men had also met in June at the G7 summit in southern Italy.
“The question of the repatriation of our compatriots was at the heart of my meeting with Pope Francis @Pontifex. We are counting on the help of the Holy See to help repatriate Ukrainians captured by Russia,” the leader wrote midday on social networks.
AFP
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the Holy See has increased diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire and accelerate the process of releasing detainees, including children.
Francis continues to call for peace for “martyrized” Ukraine, in vain. But he also caused a diplomatic crisis between the Holy See and Kyiv in March after calling on Ukraine to “raise the white flag and negotiate”.
Mr. Zelensky’s European tour comes as Russian forces continue to advance in eastern Ukraine. On the night of Thursday to Friday, Russian night strikes killed four people, including a teenage girl, and injured ten others in the coastal region of Odessa (south).
Reconstruction
After Rome, Mr. Zelensky is expected in Berlin this afternoon, where he will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose government plans to halve in 2025 the amount allocated to bilateral military aid intended for Ukraine, to the great dismay of Kyiv.
After initial stages in London and Paris, where he denied any discussion of any ceasefire, Volodymyr Zelensky met Thursday evening in Rome with the head of the Italian government Giorgia Meloni.
AFP
Ms. Meloni immediately announced that Italy would host the next conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine on July 10 and 11, 2025.
“Ukraine is not alone, and we will be at its side as long as necessary,” she assured.
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Italy firmly supports Kyiv by sending aid and weapons, while considering that the latter should only be used inside Ukrainian territory.
Help before winter
Before Rome, Volodymyr Zelensky was received in Paris by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. As everywhere else, he called for a rapid increase in Western aid. “Before winter, we need your support,” he insisted.
Emmanuel Macron, for his part, assured that France’s aid continued “in accordance with its commitments”.
This tour also comes less than a month before the American presidential election, the uncertain outcome of which raises fears in Kyiv for the sustainability of American support.
The consequences of a possible victory for Donald Trump were, however, minimized by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday in London. “Stop worrying about a Trump presidency,” he said.
“I am absolutely convinced that the United States will be involved, because they understand that it is not only about Ukraine but also about themselves,” he said. added.
“Victory Plan”
As in Paris and Rome, President Zelensky presented the details of his “victory plan” against Russia to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mark Rutte on Thursday in London.
This plan “aims to create favorable conditions for a just end to the war,” he said. “Ukraine can only negotiate with a strong position.”
This plan must be unveiled during a second peace summit, expected in November, but the date of which has not been confirmed by Kyiv.
Mr. Zelensky again insisted Thursday on “the need to obtain authorization to strike deep into Russian territory” with long-range weapons, supplied in particular by the United Kingdom, one of the most important supporters of his country.
The leader has for months demanded authorization to use Britain’s long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike Russia.
