"I share your pain". The Pope addressed Ukrainians in Ukrainian. Zelenskyy reacted
updated
Pope Leo XIV addressed Ukrainians with words of support. Posts in Ukrainian and English were published on the pontiff's X (formerly Twitter) account. Subsequently, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Pope for these statements and called for working together to achieve peace.
"I want to express my solidarity with suffering Ukraine, with children, young people, the elderly, and especially with the families who are mourning their loved ones. I share your pain for the prisoners and victims of this senseless war," Leo wrote.
According to him, the faith of the Ukrainian people is currently "being put to a difficult test".
The head of the Catholic Church added: "To believe does not mean to already have all the answers, but to hope that God is with us and gives us His grace, that He will have the last word and life will conquer death."
The pontiff also met with the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Archbishop Sviatoslav, and pilgrims from Ukraine at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.
UPDATED. In response to posts, President Zelenskyy thanked the Pope "for his constant prayers and sympathy for Ukraine and our people."
"Together we must stop this arbitrary Russian aggression and protect innocent lives. We need a just peace. We will also be deeply grateful for your help in returning all our people – adults and children – who are held in Russian captivity against their will," the Head of State noted.
It should be noted that Leo did not directly mention Russia in his post.
- The previous Pope, Francis, also periodically avoided mentioning Moscow in his speeches. At the same time, the new pontiff takes a more openly pro-Ukrainian stance: in particular, during his first phone call with Putin, Leo XIV urged the Russian dictator to make a "gesture" towards peace.
- Since the previous Pope, the Vatican has been dealing with the issue of returning Ukrainian children abducted by the occupiers.
- Under the new pontiff, Russia refused the Holy See's mediation in peace negotiations with Ukraine.
