The Ukrainian president asked the Pope to mediate with Russia to relieve the humanitarian consequences of the war, in a telephone call today.
President Zelenskiy reported the conversation on Twitter, saying the “mediating role of the Holy See in ending human suffering would be appreciated” and that he thanked Pope Francis for his prayers for Ukraine and for peace.
Addressing the Italian parliament shortly afterwards, President Zelenskiy said that the Pope told him: “I understand that you want peace, I understand that you want to defend yourselves, I understand that the military defend civilians, and that civilians defend their homeland.”
The president also repeated his invitation to the Pope to visit Ukraine, telling him that “His Holiness is a most awaited guest” according to the Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See.
The Vatican has confirmed that a conversation took place this morning.
President Zelenskiy has previously called for Vatican mediation, and last spoke to Pope Francis on 26 February, two days after the Russian invasion began.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, emphasised the Holy See’s desire to assist negotiations in remarks today, telling reporters that “we are available to the extent that the parties think they can also avail themselves of our collaboration”.
“There is always the possibility of finding a solution, a solution that is honourable for everyone,” he said. “Having the good will to do so is sufficient.”
Ukrainian negotiators have claimed that military reversals for Russian forces, and widespread denunciation of their brutal tactics, have made a ceasefire more likely. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence claims that more than 15,000 Russian troops have been killed since the invasion began.
Condemnation of the invasion has come from across the Orthodox world. On Sunday the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, said that Russian forces “seem to seek the utter humiliation of their proud, loyal, and brother Ukrainian people, who are fighting heroically and sacrificing for their freedom”.
He said that “those who have chosen the path of war are leading their own young people to ruin” and appealed to governments: “Stop the war now! Enough insanity! How many dead will our land fit in its bowels? How many more tears will water its soil?”
Such statements compound the isolation of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who was last weekend condemned by many Orthodox theologians for promoting a “Russian world” ideology.
Kirill has not altered his position, however, and last week told the Russian Supreme Church Council that its duty is “to preserve the spiritual unity of our people – the Russian and Ukrainian peoples – as one nation which has come out of the Kievan baptismal font”.
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