Zelenskiy and Leo held talks in Castel Gandolfo, a small Italian hill town not far from Rome, where the pope is taking a two-week vacation. The Ukrainian leader is in Italy to attend a conference on July 10-11 dedicated to Ukraine's recovery and long-term reconstruction following Russia's invasion.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met with Pope Leo XIV and thanked him for the Vatican’s efforts to help return children taken by Russia during the war.

According to an official statement from the Holy See, the two leaders discussed the ongoing conflict and “the urgency of pursuing just and lasting paths of peace.”