Ukraine has officially appealed to the Vatican with a request to solidify its mediating role in negotiations for the return of Ukrainian children and civilians illegally taken by Russia. This was announced by a government representative during a briefing on Wednesday, as reported by AP, writes UNN.
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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a letter to Pope Leo XIV, requesting to formalize the currently unofficial mechanism initiated by Pope Francis. It is within this framework that Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi served as a personal papal envoy for humanitarian affairs.
Deputy Head of the President's Office Iryna Vereshchuk explained that Kyiv aims to grant the Holy See the status of a mediator or a "platform" through which dialogue with Moscow can be conducted regarding the return of civilians.
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An audience with the Pope for children and adults who have already returned from Russian control is intended to draw more attention to the issue. At the briefing, they spoke about the propaganda they experienced and the trauma of separation from their families.
The Vatican and the Russian embassy have not yet commented on Ukraine's initiative.