Verkhovna Rada Speaker meets with Pope and invites him to Ukraine

Pope Leo XIV and Ruslan Stefanchuk. Photo: VR Speaker's Facebook

During a working visit to Rome, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, visited the Vatican, where he met with Pope Leo XIV and invited him to Ukraine. The Speaker wrote about this on his Facebook on December 12, 2025.

"I conveyed to His Holiness words of gratitude from Ukrainian communities and invited him to make an Apostolic visit to Ukraine. A visit to our country would be a strong sign of solidarity and spiritual support for millions of Ukrainians in difficult times," Stefanchuk stated.

According to him, the parties discussed the humanitarian situation, the return of Ukrainian children, prisoners, and civilian hostages.

The Ukrainian side informed the pontiff about consultations with the USA and European partners.

"Ukraine strives for peace, but not according to the aggressor's scenario – not through concessions and not at the cost of legalizing the occupation of our territories. I noted the important role of the Vatican and Rome in the international peace process – as moral authorities capable of uniting positions and facilitating the search for solutions based on international law and human dignity," the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada explained the purpose of the visit.

As reported by the UOJ, on December 9, 2025, Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the US peace plan with Pope Leo and invited him to Ukraine at a meeting in the pontiff's summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.

Read also