President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. This was reported by the President's Office on July 23.
Volodymyr Zelensky noted the cardinal's personal contribution to strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and the Vatican. The president also expressed gratitude for the visit, during which the Secretary of State visited Ukrainian cities.
"This is a strong signal from the Vatican, thank you for such support. And we are grateful for your participation in the Summit in Switzerland. This is the first step towards peace; every step is valuable. It is important that you also support this. We all understand that we must complete this path as soon as possible to avoid losing human lives", - emphasized the president.
President Zelensky and the Vatican Secretary of State particularly focused on the decisions made at the first Peace Summit in Switzerland and the Holy See's role in establishing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
The interlocutors also discussed the outcomes of Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with Pope Francis in June this year on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. The head of state thanked Pope Francis for his prayers for peace in Ukraine and his calls for the return of Ukrainian prisoners.
Volodymyr Zelensky and Pietro Parolin thoroughly discussed the consequences of russian aggression against Ukraine, the ongoing aerial terror, including the missile strike on the children's hospital "Okhmatdyt", and the challenging humanitarian situation in the country.