Pope-Zelenskyy meeting likely on Saturday at Vatican

New Delhi: Pope Francis could meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican this weekend, a Vatican official said on Thursday.

Francis has repeatedly called for an end to Russia's war in Ukraine and expressed solidarity with the "martyred" Ukrainian people. Recently he revealed a secret peace "mission" was underway but provided no details.

Word of the possible meeting Saturday in Rome followed news, confirmed last week by Berlin police, that Zelenskyy was expected in Germany starting Saturday evening.

Italian media, citing unnamed sources, reported on Thursday that Zelenskyy might be in Rome earlier that day to meet with Premier Giorgia Meloni and the pope.

A Vatican official said a pope-Zelenskyy audience on Saturday "is a possibility." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the visit was not confirmed.

On Sunday, Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine are set to receive the International Charlemagne Prize, awarded annually by the western German city of Aachen for contributions to European unity. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to give the speech honoring Zelenskyy.

Francis met with Zelensskyy before the war and last month met with the Ukrainian prime minister, who asked the pontiff's help in mediating the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia after the Kremlin's invasion.

Francis recently told reporters he thought the Vatican could help, given it's previous mediation in prisoner swaps.

On Thursday, Francis bid farewell to the Russian ambassador to the Holy See, Alexander Avdeev, at the end of his seven-year tenure. (AP)