First the meeting with the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, who assured Italy’s “full support” for Ukraine. Then the face to face at Palazzo Chigi with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who said she was “betting on Ukraine’s victory”. Finally, the 40-minute visit to the Vatican received by the pontiff (“Thank you for this visit”, said the Pope welcoming the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. “It is a great honour”, replied the president). The visit of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to Rome was busy
The Pope: in Ukraine there is an urgent need for gestures of humanity
The topics of the conversation between the Pope and President Volodymyr Zelensky, which lasted about forty minutes, «refer to the humanitarian and political situation in Ukraine caused by the ongoing war. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni reports that the Pope assured him of his constant prayers, testified by his many public appeals and continuous invocation to the Lord for peace, since February of last year. Both agreed on the need to continue humanitarian efforts to support the population. The Pope underlined in particular the urgent need for ‘human gestures’ towards the most fragile people, innocent victims of the conflict”.
Meloni: “Let’s bet on Ukraine’s victory”
«Italy, in collaboration with the main Allies, will continue to provide the necessary support, including military support, so that a just peace can be reached for Ukraine, which can only exist if Russia ceases hostilities. We bet on Ukraine to win. This is important because peace cannot be achieved with any position of surrender. No peace is compatible with an invasion.” These are some of the concepts expressed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at a press conference after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. And again: «At the end of February I was in Kiev. We held a major conference for the reconstruction of Ukraine last 26 to demonstrate that our nation wants to play a leading role in this direction”.
Meloni: peace if and when Russia ceases hostilities
The prime minister renewed her appeal to Moscow “to stop the aggression and to withdraw the troops”. «We are in favor – she added – of a diplomatic solution to the conflict. We support President Zelensky’s 10-point peace formula. And we recognize the legitimate European aspirations of Ukraine, an outpost of security for the entire European continent”. Rome «confirms itself as a solid, reliable ally, a credible nation and a capital of peace. Because we work for peace and we look to Zelensky’s commitment with hope». And again: «We are ready to support another one intensification of Ukraine’s partnership with NATOwe will talk about it in Vilnius at the July summit, it will probably be the central theme”
«The truth – added Meloni – is that Ukraine is the victim of aggression and that by defending its integrity and identity, it distances the war from the rest of Europe. What the Ukrainians are doing, they are doing for us too.”