On March 18, Russia reportedly agreed to a limited halt to attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as part of ongoing negotiations
VATICAN CITY — As the United States continues to attempt to broker a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke with the Vatican secretary of state.
In a long post on X March 14, the Ukrainian leader said that during the conversation with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, “I wished Pope Francis a speedy recovery and thanked him for his prayers and moral support for our people, as well as for his efforts in facilitating the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported and displaced by Russia.”
“The Holy See has received a list of Ukrainians being held in Russian prisons and camps. We are counting on support for their release,” the president posted.
The Vatican press office later confirmed the phone call took place. The topics included the pope’s health, the situation in Ukraine, the possibility of a ceasefire and the return of children taken from Ukraine into Russia, it said.
The Associated Press reported March 18 that President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during a lengthy call Tuesday to an immediate pause in strikes against energy infrastructure in the Ukraine war, but the Russian leader stopped short of backing a broader 30-day pause in fighting.
Zelenskyy expressed his hope on X that the Vatican could help move the process forward.
“The voice of the Holy See is very important on the path to peace. I am grateful for the readiness to make efforts towards our shared goal,” he wrote. “Thank you for your prayers for Ukraine and for peace.”
Pope Francis confirmed in April 2023 that the Holy See had acted as an intermediary in several prisoner exchange negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna was appointed by the pope to serve as his peace envoy for Ukraine and has been working to secure the return of thousands of Ukrainian children taken into Russia.
After speaking to Cardinal Parolin March 14, Zelenskyy reaffirmed his position that “the exchange of prisoners and an unconditional 30-day full interim ceasefire are the first quick steps that could significantly bring us closer to a just and lasting peace.”
When Zelenskyy met in February with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, he said that in the past Putin had reneged on agreements to exchange prisoners.
“The Ukrainian people want peace more than anyone,” Zelenskyy wrote in his post on X after speaking with Cardinal Parolin. “Meanwhile, the world sees how Russia is deliberately setting conditions that only complicate and drag out the process, as Russia is the only party that wants the war to continue and diplomacy to break down.”
Putin, at a news conference March 13, said he also wanted a ceasefire, but he said the agreement would need to include the surrender of Ukrainian forces in Russian territory, guarantees that Ukraine would not use the ceasefire period to remobilize and some form of monitoring of the agreement.
