Pope Francis speaks again with Ukrainian President Zelensky

President Zelensky - Wiki Image

Source: Vatican News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Pope Francis on Tuesday morning, before giving a video address to the Italian Parliament. In that address he said his country was "on the brink of surviving the war" and repeated his appeal for more sanctions to be imposed on Russia.

He began by saying that he had spoken by telephone, to Pope Francis who, he said, "Had some very important words." Zelensky said he had spoken with the Pope about the resistance of the Ukrainian people "who became an army when it saw evil."

Zelensky later mentioned the telephone call in his official Twitter account: "Talked to @Pontifex. Told His Holiness about the difficult humanitarian situation and the blocking of rescue corridors by Russian troops. The mediating role of the Holy See in ending human suffering would be appreciated. Thanked for the prayers for Ukraine and peace."

Ukraine's in pectore Ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash, had also tweeted news of the telephone conversation adding that the Pope assured the Ukrainian President that he is "praying" for Ukraine and is doing "everything possible to end the war."

According to the Ambassador, Zelensky told the Pope: "His Holiness is the most awaited guest in Ukraine."

The invitation to Pope Francis to visit Kyiv, had already been expressed in a letter by the mayor of Kyiv, Vitalij Klyčko. A letter to which the Pope responded, (as confirmed by the director of the Holy See Press Office), reiterating his closeness "to the suffering of the city, its people, those who had to flee and those who are called to administer it".

This was not the first time the Pope and Zelensky have been in touch over the telephone. On 26 February, two days after the Russian invasion and as news of escalating violence increased by the hour, Pope Francis told the president of "his deepest sorrow for the tragic events that are taking place in your country."