Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to attend the inaugural Mass of newly elected Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Sunday, May 18, if his schedule allows.
That is according to Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, Ukrinform reports, citing Reuters.
Yermak said the Ukrainian president would be willing to hold talks with any other world leaders on the sidelines of the inauguration.
He added that the new pontiff had told Zelensky in a telephone call on Monday that he was ready to facilitate such meetings and had promised to “do his best” to help bring about a just and lasting peace.
Leo, who was elected in a conclave that ended last Thursday, will be officially installed as the new leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics at a Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday. A number of world leaders are expected to attend.
“He [Zelensky] is planning to come, but you know that before [Sunday] we have some other very important meetings,” Yermak said, referring to possible peace talks in Turkey this week.
“Of course during war it’s difficult to be sure, but I know that he will be happy to be in Rome on this day,” he added.
Yermak also recalled that Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump met in St. Peter’s Basilica on the sidelines of the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26, where they talked about air defense systems and sanctions on Russia.
At the same time, the United States has not yet said who will represent the Trump administration on Sunday.
On May 12, Zelensky held his first conversation with Pope Leo XIV and thanked him for his support of Ukraine.
In his first Sunday blessing, Pope Leo XIV mentioned countries suffering from war and called for a swift, genuine, and just peace in Ukraine.
