He Pope Francis received, this Friday afternoon, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian visited the Vatican for the third time as part of a tour he is maintaining in different places. European countries.
In the midst of the tensions generated by the war between Russia and Ukrainethe politician arrived late to the papal appointment, escorted by a strong guard operation. At the meeting, both leaders exchanged gifts and talked about the armed conflict that broke out ago more than two and a half years.
Pope Francis’ meeting with the president of Ukraine
Wrapped in a strong operation of “anti-terrorist cleanup throughout the area“Zelensky arrived late for his appointment with the Supreme Pontiff. “The kyiv leader arrived a little late at the Vatican escorted by a long caravan in an armored Rome,” Vatican sources said.
Both leaders met for more than half an hour and, during the meeting, they exchanged different gifts. The Ukrainian gave the Pope the painting “The horror of Bucha“, a work of art that describes vision of Marichkaan imaginary girl in front of whom Russian soldiers tortured and killed her father, mother and grandmother.
In detail, the Ukrainian president explained that the minor’s vision represents all inhabitants of Bucha who had to witness kidnappings, torture, looting, rape, even of minors. For his part, Francis gave Zelensky a bronze work that represents a olive branch – symbol of peace – with a message that reads: “People who have been waiting for more than two and a half years for a peace that is a fragile flower“.
It is the Zelensky visits the Vatican for the third time – the second in two years – with the war between Russia and Ukraine as the central theme. The previous bilateral meeting between the two dates back to May 13, 2023.
After meeting with the Pontiff, the meeting with the Secretary for Relations with states and International OrganizationsMonsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, with whom “the current war in Ukraine and the emergencies associated with it were addressed, particularly those of a humanitarian nature, as well as the need to continue efforts to achieve peace.” Bruni also stated that “the occasion was also favorable to discuss some bilateral issuesespecially with regard to the life of the Catholic Church in the country.”
Pope Francis will meet with Victoria Villarruel
The vice president of Argentina, Victoria Villarruel, will be received by Pope Francis next October 14within the framework of a private official visitaccording to official sources. This will be about the Villarruel’s first international outing since his assumption of office.
The vice president’s itinerary began last Sunday, when she left from the Ezeiza Airport to Madrid on a scheduled flight. Since then, Villarruel participated in a series of events and meetings in Spain, among which his dissertation at the United Nations International Conference on Victims of Terrorism and his presence, this Friday, at a lunch with a group of businessmen at the Argentine embassy located in the Spanish capital.
law bases senate villarruel
Ignacio Petunchi
It will be the first meeting between the two since Villarruel’s arrival to the vice presidency. The current president of the Senate, who professes the Catholic religion, He already spoke with the Pope in 2014, before his formal landing in politics. On that occasion both met and the vice president gave Francisco letters of victims of terrorism and a copy of his book The Other Dead.
Recently, Jorge Bergoglio received another official from the national government: the Minister of Human Capital, Sandra Pettovello. It was an informal meeting and social issues were addressed.
Source: Ambito
