ROME: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Rome to meet political leaders and have an audience with Pope Francis.
“A significant visit for approaching victory of Ukraine!” Zelensky tweeted as he landed in Rome.
He will meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President Sergio Mattarella and travel to the Vatican later on Saturday.
A large security operation has been launched, with over 1,000 Italian police deployed, and currently, there is a no-fly zone over Italy’s capital.
Pope Francis often said that the Vatican stands ready to mediate the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Saturday would be the first time Pope Francis and President Zelensky have met since Russia/Ukraine war. The pair did meet in 2020.
The visit comes after Russia carried out the latest air strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight.
Three people were wounded in Mykolaiv, and in the city of Khmelnytsky, critical infrastructure, homes, and government buildings were targeted.
Earlier, Russian-appointed officials in Ukraine’s occupied Luhansk region said a Russian parliamentarian and six children were wounded in a missile attack on Friday, which they blamed on Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian armed forces said they’d made progress near the eastern city of Bakhmut.
