Pope Francis met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican on Friday as part of Zelenskyy's European tour to garner support for his proposed 'victory plan' aimed at ending the war with Russia. The private talks between the pope and the Ukrainian leader lasted for 35 minutes at the Sala della Biblioteca. During the meeting, Pope Francis presented Zelenskyy with a bronze plaque symbolizing peace.
In return, Zelenskyy gifted the pontiff with an oil painting depicting the tragic events in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv that witnessed severe atrocities by Russian troops. Following the meeting with Pope Francis, Zelenskyy also engaged in discussions with Vatican officials regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis it has caused.
