Pope Francis held a private meeting at the Vatican on Monday with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, during which they discussed the war in Ukraine and hopes for peace there. Milley stated after the meeting that the visit meant a lot to him, according to his spokesperson, Colonel Dave Butler. He added that the Pope is deeply concerned about the loss of life in Ukraine, particularly among civilians, since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Francis urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to show readiness for dialogue with Russia, but Zelensky seeks the Vatican's support for Kyiv's peace plan, which demands the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and a ceasefire. Additionally, the 86-year-old Pope sent his special peace envoy, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, to Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington to discuss humanitarian aid and the repatriation of Ukrainian children.
