Pope Leo XIV meets Zelenskyy for second time in five months at Castel Gandolfo, urges just peace in Ukraine and stresses return of deported children.
Newsroom (09/12/2025 Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the second time in five months on Monday morning, holding private talks at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo focused primarily on the continuing war in Ukraine and the fate of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia.
The Holy See Press Office described the encounter as cordial and confirmed that the two leaders devoted most of their discussion to the ongoing conflict. In a brief written statement, the Vatican said Pope Leo reiterated “the importance of ongoing dialogue” and expressed his “urgent hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts will lead to a just and lasting peace.”
A key point of the meeting was the plight of Ukrainian minors removed from occupied territories. Both the Pope and President Zelenskyy called for ensuring the safe return of these children to their families, alongside broader attention to prisoners of war.
Monday’s audience marked the second face-to-face meeting between the pontiff and the Ukrainian leader since Pope Leo’s election earlier this year. Their previous encounter took place on 9 July, also at Castel Gandolfo, only two months after the new Pope’s inauguration. During that July meeting, Leo XIV had voiced sorrow for the victims of the war, assured Ukraine of his constant prayers, and repeated the Holy See’s readiness to facilitate negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow if both parties agreed.
Speaking to journalists in English immediately after Monday’s talks, President Zelenskyy thanked Pope Leo for the audience and highlighted Vatican support on the children’s issue, describing it as “a very important question.”
No additional details about the length of the meeting or possible new initiatives were disclosed by the Holy See.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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