Zelensky invites Pope Francis to Ukraine

Pope Francis and Vladimir Zelensky. Photo: social networks

On February 8, 2020, the Vatican hosted an audience with President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky with the Head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis. Zelensky invited the pontiff to Ukraine and expressed confidence that he would visit not only Kiev but also the Donbas, the President’s Office reports.

“The main thing we talked about is peace,” the Office cited Zelensky’s words he had said after the audience. “He even called me ‘the President of Peace’ – that’s my image in Europe now.”

Zelensky noted the important role the Holy See could play in bringing peace to Ukrainian land and "asked Pope Francis to help release the Ukrainians held in the Donbas, in the Crimea and in Russia."

The President also emphasized that “Ukrainian Churches play an extremely important role in spreading the truth and developing society,” and invited the pontiff to Ukraine, where he is “very much expected and where he enjoys extremely great support and trust.”

“I invited him to Ukraine. I am sure that he will be in Ukraine – not only in the capital. I said that in order to fully understand what is happening in the east, we need to go the east,” Zelensky said.

Also, during the visit of the Ukrainian leader to the Vatican, a meeting is planned with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Pietro Parolin, with the participation of the Secretary for Interstate Relations of the Holy See, Paul Richard Gallagher.

Recall that earlier the primate of the UGCC Sviatoslav Shevchuk told how he suggested that the head of State visit the pontiff in the Vatican.

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