Zelenskyy meets Pope Leo XIV in Rome amid US pressure over peace plan 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met Pope Leo XIV in Rome, as Kyiv pushes forward in “diplomatic efforts with the United States to achieve peace”.

The visit on Tuesday came less than a day after Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would not cede territory to Russia. He later held talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, following meetings in London with the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

“Ukraine deeply appreciates all the support of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and the Holy See – the ongoing humanitarian assistance and the readiness to expand humanitarian missions,” Zelenskyy wrote on X after the audience at the Vatican.

He said he thanked the pontiff “for his constant prayers for Ukraine” and for calls “for a just peace”, adding that he briefed him on mediation efforts “to return our children abducted by Russia”.

“I invited the Pope to visit Ukraine. This would be a powerful signal of support for our people,” he said.

The meeting took place at St Peter’s Basilica, the same setting where Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump were pictured sitting face-to-face at the funeral of Pope Francis in April, after a period of public criticism between the two leaders in Washington.

Kyiv is seeking to shore up international backing at a crucial moment, with attempts to broker a settlement advancing and the war, soon entering its fourth year.

Ukraine has resisted pressure from Washington to quickly accept a ceasefire proposal that officials in Kyiv view as favouring Moscow. Zelenskyy said a revised peace plan now contained 20 points, though there was still no agreement on Russia’s demand that Ukraine surrender occupied territory, which has become the major sticking point in negotiations.

He said Ukraine would share the updated proposals with the US this week, and remained in constant contact with officials in Washington.

But Trump earlier on Tuesday warned that Kyiv must make concessions, saying Ukraine is “losing” the war.

“He is going to have to get on the ball and start accepting things,” the US president told Politico. Speaking separately to German tabloid Bild, Trump added, “He needs to get his act together and start accepting things.”