Meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Pope Leo XIV reiterated his willingness to host representatives of Russia and Ukraine at the Vatican for peace negotiations.

"During the cordial conversation, the importance of dialogue as the preferred means of ending hostilities was reaffirmed," the Vatican press office said in a communique released after the meeting.

The two leaders met in the early afternoon July 9 at the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo, southeast of Rome, for their closed-door meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes.

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The Pope spoke to Zelenskyy about "the ongoing conflict and the urgent need for a just and lasting peace," the Vatican communique said.

"The Holy Father expressed his sorrow for the victims and renewed his prayers and closeness to the Ukrainian people, encouraging every effort aimed at the release of prisoners and the search for shared solutions," it said.

"The Holy Father reiterated the willingness to welcome representatives of Russia and Ukraine to the Vatican for negotiations," it added.

Outside the villa after the meeting, Zelenskyy told Vatican Media reporters that "we really count on" the Pope's offer to host a meeting of "high-level leaders to finish this war."

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"I am very grateful to his holiness for this meeting, for hosting us, and of course for his help," and the Vatican's help, not only with prayers, but also in trying "to get back our children, stolen children by Russia during this war," he said in English. "This is a very important question; we spoke about it."

"We want peace, we want this war to be finished," he said.

On the social media platform, X, Zelenskyy said the proposal for high-level talks at the Vatican "remains open and entirely possible with the goal of stopping Russian aggression and achieving a stable, lasting and genuine peace. At present, only Moscow continues to reject this proposal, as it has turned down all other peace initiatives."

"We will continue to strengthen global solidarity so that diplomacy can still succeed," he posted, saying he also invited the Pope to visit Ukraine.

He said he thanked the Pope for his support of Ukrainian children, especially those returned from Russian captivity. 

"Ukrainian children now have the opportunity for rehabilitation and rest in Italy, and such hospitality and sincerity are extremely important."

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Zelenskyy met with the Pope and Italian President Sergio Mattarella ahead of a two-day Ukraine Recovery Conference being held in Rome July 10-11. More than 90 countries, at least 15 heads of state and government, 40 international organizations and 2,000 companies were expected to attend the conference, according to the Italian newspaper, Il Sole 24 Ore.

The Rome conference is the fourth conference dedicated to Ukraine's recovery since 2022, the year Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and started the largest war in Europe since World War II.