Zelensky asked the Pope to convey the “horror” that Ukrainians suffer

In what was interpreted as a new attempt for Pope Francis to finally visit Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky phoned the Pope on Friday to talk to him about the “horrific crimes” against his country’s population that the armed forces are committing. .

“Our people need the support of world spiritual leaders who must convey to the world the truth about the acts of horror committed by the aggressor,” the president told him.

Francis and Zelensky had already spoken on February 26, two days after the start of the Russian invasion, when the Pope expressed his “deep sorrow” for the Russian aggression.

Later, the mayor of kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, and the Ukrainian president himself invited him to visit Ukraine and show solidarity with his people, a possibility that the Pontiff never ruled out, even though he considered it “complex” to realize.

As the months went by, the Pope declared that he wanted to go not only to kiev, but also to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin and ask him in person to stop the attacks and start negotiations or, at least, the opening of humanitarian corridors.

But the Russian president has so far shown no willingness to welcome him despite having visited him three times in the Vatican in recent years.

“I informed him of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine and its horrific crimes. I am grateful to the pontiff for his prayers for Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote on his Twitter account.

And he added: “Our people need the support of the spiritual leaders of the world who must convey to the world the truth about the acts of horror committed by the aggressor in Ukraine”.

The Holy See did not comment on the telephone conversation, although it is assumed that it is attentive to the conditions for a possible trip by the Pope to Ukraine and is making discreet efforts to get Kyiv and Moscow to begin negotiations.

Furthermore, it has always slipped away the Pope’s advertising willingness to mediate or carry out good office management.

However, this week, Vatican Secretary of State – a sort of number two – Cardinal Pietro Parolin, lamented that at the moment there is no “willingness” of Russia and Ukraine to accept mediation that would allow “peace negotiations” to take place. end the war.

“Even today in the tragic Ukrainian affair, there seems to be no readiness at that moment to start real peace negotiations and to accept the offer of mediation,” Parolin said in an interview with Limes magazine.

“As is evident, it is not enough for one of the parties to propose or hypothesize it unilaterally, but it is essential that both express their will in this regard”, added the Italian cardinal.

On Saturday, Francis received the Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See, Andrey Yurash, great promoter of the Pope’s visit to Kie, and after the meeting the diplomat said that the trip will take place shortly.

“Ukraine has been waiting for the Pope for many years and especially since the war and will be happy to greet him before his trip to Kazakhstan,” the diplomat posted on Twitter.

Francisco plans to travel to Kazakhstan between 13 and 15 September.