The meeting comes at a time when the United States is pressuring Kyiv to accept painful concessions in a possible negotiation process with Moscow.
During the meeting, the Vatican reported that Pope Leo XIV reiterated the need to maintain dialogue and expressed his urgent desire for ongoing diplomatic initiatives to translate into a just and lasting peace. The Holy See maintains a neutral stance in the conflict, although it has shown solidarity with what it calls the "martyred Ukrainian people."
This is the third meeting between Zelenskyy and the pontiff, who has also spoken on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin at least once. Leo XIV has repeatedly insisted on an immediate ceasefire and has particularly urged Russia to make concrete gestures towards peace.
Following his visit to the Vatican, Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to continue gathering European support in the midst of the war.