A ceasefire in Ukraine “will not lead to peace,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Pope Francis’ special envoy, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, during a visit to Kiev on Tuesday.
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“The head of state stressed that the ceasefire and the freezing of the conflict will not lead to the establishment of peace,” the Ukrainian presidency said in a statement.
Mr. Zelenskyy called on the Holy See to “contribute to the implementation of Ukraine’s peace plan,” which envisages Kyiv regaining all Moscow-held territories.
According to the Ukrainian Presidency, Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized “that only joint efforts, diplomatic isolation and pressure on Russia can influence the aggressor and bring just peace on Ukrainian soil.”
“The President noted that the Holy See could make an effective contribution to the release of Ukrainian prisoners, the return of deported children and the restoration of justice,” the presidency added in its statement.
In a separate statement later in the afternoon, the Vatican spoke of a “short but intense visit” and noted that the content of the various interviews would “be brought to the attention of the Holy Father,” as well as the “suffering and atrocities of the Ukrainian people”.
Bishop Zuppi’s visit to Kiev comes at a time when, in recent days, the Ukrainian armed forces have been conducting a series of “offensive actions” aimed at testing the Russian defenses and gaining gains close to those destroyed to conquer the eastern town of Bachmout.
Russia claims to have repelled all of these attacks.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been going on for more than 15 months and any peace initiatives between the two sides seem doomed as Kyiv and Moscow are looking to fight the battle on the battlefield at this point.