VATICAN CITY, July 14, 2025 – In a significant act of Catholic diplomacy, Pope Leo XIV met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 9th at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence. During the meeting, the Holy Father offered Vatican City as a neutral venue to host future peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
The Pope also pledged his support for international efforts to reunite Ukrainian children who were forcibly taken to Russia amid the ongoing war. President Zelensky specifically thanked Pope Leo for his attention to this humanitarian crisis. This marks the second meeting between the two leaders since Pope Leo’s inauguration and reinforces the Vatican’s longstanding commitment to peacebuilding and mediation in times of global conflict.
The encounter comes in the context of broader Vatican efforts for justice and reconciliation. On the same day, Pope Leo celebrated his first Mass for the Care of Creation using a new ecological formulary recently added to the Roman Missal. Held at the Laudato Si’ ecological village in the Pontifical Gardens, the Mass highlighted the urgency of environmental conversion and the interconnectedness of ecological and human suffering.
Earlier in the week, the Vatican published a synodal implementation document offering dioceses and bishops guidance on the next steps leading up to the 2028 global synodal assembly. Pope Leo also addressed the UN AI for Good Summit through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, stressing the ethical governance of artificial intelligence and its role in preserving human dignity.
Meanwhile, in India, the Vatican concluded Archbishop Cyril Vasil’s mission as Pontifical Delegate to the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese, handing back authority to local church leaders in a renewed gesture of trust and unity.
From peace diplomacy to liturgical innovation, this week’s developments reflect the Vatican’s growing engagement with today’s urgent spiritual, environmental, and geopolitical challenges.
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Bénédicte Cedergren is an Associate Producer for EWTN News Nightly. She is Swedish-French and grew up in Stockholm. After graduating from the University of Stockholm with a degree in Journalism, Bénédicte moved to Rome where she earned a degree in Philosophy at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. She also sings sacred music and works as a photographer. Passionate about spreading the truth and beauty of the Catholic faith, Bénédicte enjoys sharing the testimonies of others and writing stories that captivate and inspire.
