Ukraine’s Zelensky in Rome to meet Pope Francis

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Rome where he will meet political leaders and have an audience with Pope Francis.

“An important visit for approaching victory of Ukraine!” Zelensky tweeted as he landed in the Italian capital.

He will meet Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, President Sergio Mattarella and travel to the Vatican later on Saturday.

A huge security operation has been launched, with over 1,000 police deployed and a no-fly zone over Rome.

Pope Francis has often said that the Vatican stands ready to act as a mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Earlier this month, he stated that the Vatican was working on a peace plan to end the war, saying that the mission was “not yet public. When it is public, I will talk about it.”

But the relationship between Ukraine and the Vatican has sometimes been uneasy.