Yermak announces Zelenskyy's intention to attend inaugural service of Pope Leo XIV on Sunday
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to attend the inaugural mass of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican on Sunday, if military circumstances permit, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing information received from the head of the President’s Office of Ukraine.
"In a telephone interview from Kyiv, Zelenskyy's chief of staff Andriy Yermak said the Ukrainian president would be willing to hold talks with any other world leaders on the sidelines of the inauguration," Reuters added in a statement.
Yermak added that the new pontiff told Zelenskyy in a phone call on Monday that he was ready to facilitate such meetings and promised to "do his best" to help achieve a just and lasting peace.
"He (Zelenskyy) is planning to come, but you know that before (Sunday) we have some other very important meetings,” Yermak said, referring to possible peace talks in Turkey this week.
Leo XIV will be formally introduced as the new leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics at a mass in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, with a number of world leaders expected to attend.