❌

Vue lecture

✇Euromaidan Press
↗️

Pope expresses sorrow for Ukrainian prisoners and victims of war. Zelenskyy asks for help to return prisoners

Par :Vira Kravchuk

Pope Leo XIV joins Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church pilgrimage at Vatican on 28 June.

Pope Leo XIV expressed solidarity with Ukrainian families suffering from the Russian aggression during a Vatican service, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to request papal help in bringing home Ukrainian prisoners of war and deported children.

Pope Leo XIV explicitly condemned Russia’s war in Ukraine, describing it as an “imperialist invasion” and directly labeled Russia as the aggressor, both in his previous role as bishop and in his early statements as pope. He called for just and lasting peace in Ukraine during his first Sunday prayer as pontiff and offered the Vatican as a venue for peace negotiations, which Russia rejected.
In contrast, his predecessor, Pope Francis, was often criticized for ambiguous statements regarding the war in Ukraine. He tended to call for peace and dialogue without explicitly naming Russia as the aggressor.

The Pope participated in a pilgrimage led by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on 28 June, according to Vatican News. Following the service, Leo XIV published a statement of support in Ukrainian on social media platforms.

I express my closeness to martyred Ukraine—to the children, the young people, the elderly, and especially to families who mourn their loved ones. I share your sorrow for the prisoners and victims of this senseless war.

— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) June 28, 2025

“The faith of your people is now being put to a difficult test. Believing does not mean having all the answers, but trusting that God is with us and gives us His grace, that He will speak the final word, and that life will triumph over death,” the Pope added.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy responded by thanking the Pope for his sympathy and made a specific request for Vatican assistance. He called on Leo XIV to help secure the return of Ukrainians held in Russian captivity, including both adults and children detained against their will.

Thank you, Your Holiness @Pontifex, for your continued prayers and compassion for Ukraine and our people.

Together we must stop this wanton Russian aggression and protect innocent lives. A just peace is needed. And we would also deeply appreciate your kind help in bringing back… https://t.co/R0hYZUZ0mU

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 28, 2025

On 26 April, the Vatican also became the site of a significant meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. During the funeral of Pope Francis, the two leaders met privately for about 15 minutes inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

Both sides described the discussion as positive and potentially historic, focusing on issues such as a ceasefire, civilian protection, and the possibility of a lasting peace.

This encounter was notable as it followed a previously contentious Oval Office meeting earlier in the year after which US-Ukraine relations worsened.

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. Become a patron or see other ways to support. 
❌