Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met Pope Leo XIV in Italy as he prepares an updated response to a revised United States plan to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The meeting took place at the Pope’s country residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome, during a wider European tour focused on talks with allies about war and peace efforts.
Zelensky said Washington had cut its original 28-point proposal to 20 points after intensive talks with Ukrainian officials over the weekend. He explained that Ukrainian and European negotiators will now work through those 20 points and that Kyiv will send its formal, revised position to the United States soon.
According to Zelensky, the main obstacles in the US plan involve possible territorial concessions and the level of long-term security guarantees for Ukraine. He stressed that Ukraine has no legal or moral right to give up any of its territory under Ukrainian law, the constitution, or international law.
The US proposal reportedly links security guarantees for Ukraine to limits on its NATO aspirations and includes ideas about ceding land that Russia has not yet captured, in exchange for assurances that fall short of full alliance membership. Zelensky said Kyiv is focused on ensuring that any deal includes credible protection against future Russian aggression, something he argued is still unclear in the current draft.
Pope Leo XIV has consistently called for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and has offered the Vatican as a possible venue for talks. During their latest meeting, he and Zelensky discussed peace efforts, humanitarian concerns and the wider impact of the war, including on civilians and displaced people.
While in Italy, Zelensky is also due to meet Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose government has supported Ukraine with weapons restricted to use within Ukrainian territory. Italy recently delayed a decision on renewing military aid beyond December 31, amid debate within the ruling coalition about the need for further support given the new diplomatic push.
Earlier, Zelensky met leaders of Britain, France and Germany in London before travelling to Brussels for talks with European Union and NATO chiefs. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron both underlined that Ukraine’s sovereignty must be protected and that Europe is working on strong security guarantees and reconstruction support.
US President Donald Trump has pressed Kyiv to agree to a settlement and has criticised Zelensky for his handling of earlier US proposals that many allies viewed as too favourable to Moscow. Trump has also imposed new sanctions on Russian oil companies while expressing frustration that efforts to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war have not succeeded.
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