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Rome – (AP NEWS )-Ukraine is urging the Vatican to move from an informal humanitarian mediator to an officially recognized partner in talks aimed at securing the return of Ukrainian children and civilians taken to Russia during the nearly four-year conflict. According to a senior official in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conveyed this request in a letter to Pope Leo XIV, ahead of a scheduled audience between the pontiff and a group of recently returned Ukrainian children and adults. (AP NEWS )
For months, the Vatican has been quietly involved in efforts to locate and repatriate Ukrainians who were removed from occupied areas, many of them minors separated from their families. Pope Francis previously asked Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, known for his humanitarian work, to act as his personal envoy in these delicate cases. While the mission has had some success, much of the Vatican’s involvement has remained informal, relying on moral authority, back-channel diplomacy, and cooperation with aid partners willing to keep communication lines open even during wartime.
Zelenskyy’s letter seeks to take that involvement a step further by giving the Vatican a structured, clearly defined role in negotiations. Ukrainian officials believe that formal recognition could help strengthen international momentum and create additional pressure for transparency surrounding the fate of children who were taken across the border.
According to the Associated Press, on Wednesday, a group of young Ukrainians who recently returned home after being removed to Russia spoke publicly about their experiences. Several described being subjected to coordinated messaging designed to reshape their views about the war and Ukraine’s future. Others recalled the emotional impact of long periods without contact with parents or siblings, and the uncertainty of not knowing when, or if, they would be allowed to return.
The Vatican audience scheduled for Friday is intended to shine a light on these personal stories, while also underscoring the humanitarian dimension of the conflict. For Kyiv, the meeting is an opportunity to reinforce the message that the return of every child and civilian remains a priority, and that international institutions, including the Holy See, have a meaningful part to play.
As the war nears its fourth year, the request to formalize the Vatican’s role reflects Ukraine’s hope that diplomacy, backed by moral influence, can help reunite families divided by the conflict.
Source: AP NEWS
