Holy Father Francis received HE Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, in an audience on February 8, 2020. Subsequently, President Zelenskyy met with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, accompanied by HE Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.
Talks in the Secretariat of State were mainly devoted to the humanitarian situation and the search for peace in the context of the conflict that, since 2014, is still plaguing Ukraine. In this regard, we shared the hope that all the parties involved show maximum sensitivity towards the needs of the population, the first victim of the violence, as well as commitment and consistency in dialogue.
Issues related to bilateral cooperation and the contribution of the Catholic Church, present in the country in various rites, were also examined.
