Ukrainian President thanks Pope for support for peace efforts in Ukraine

By Vatican News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for his Christmas greetings to Ukraine and for supporting the Peace Formula.

This appreciation was conveyed during their latest phone conversation, details of which President Zelensky posted Thursday on the official presidential website and on his X account.

“I have just spoken with His Holiness Pope Francis to express gratitude for his Christmas greetings to Ukraine and Ukrainians, for his wishes of peace – just peace for all of us,” said President Zelensky. “We discussed our joint work on the Peace Formula – more than 80 states are already involved at the level of their representatives. There will be more. I am grateful to the Vatican for supporting our work.”

Series of telephone conversations

Pope Francis received the Ukrainian President in the Vatican on 13 May for their second in-person meeting. The first was in 2020, before Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor on 24 February 2022.

Since then, the two men have spoken by phone several times, the first of which was on 26 February 2022, just two days after the outbreak of the war.

Following that first phone conversation, President Zelensky said the Pope had expressed his deep sorrow for the tragic events that were unfolding in the European nation, while the President had thanked the Pope for his spiritual support for the people of Ukraine.

They spoke again by phone on 22 March 2022. President Zelensky said he had told the Pope about the dire humanitarian situation and welcomed the Holy See’s offer to mediate in order to seek a solution to human suffering.

Later, on 12 August 2022, the pair held another telephone conversation to discuss the horrors endured by the Ukrainian people due to Russia’s invasion, according to President Zelensky. He also expressed his appreciation to Pope Francis for his prayers and invited him to visit Kyiv.