Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the nation’s Independence Day on Sunday with a message of moral support from Pope Leo XIV, who urged an end to the violence and assured his prayers for the war-weary people of Ukraine.
Posting the papal letter on X, Zelenskyy highlighted the Pope’s appeal that “the clamor of arms may fall silent and give way to dialogue.” The letter, published the same day by Vatican News, conveyed the Pontiff’s spiritual solidarity with a country enduring more than three years of devastating conflict.
“With a heart wounded by the violence that ravages your land, I address you on this day of your national feast,” Pope Leo wrote. He expressed particular closeness to the wounded, the bereaved, and those displaced from their homes. “May God Himself console them; may He strengthen the injured and grant eternal rest to the departed.” The Pope entrusted the nation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, invoking her intercession so that “the path to peace for the good of all” might finally be opened.
Zelenskyy, in his response, thanked the Pope for what he called “thoughtful words, prayer, and attention to the people of Ukraine amid devastating war.” He reiterated his government’s determination to secure peace grounded in justice and truth. “All of our hopes and efforts are for our nation to achieve the long-awaited peace. For good, trust, and justice to prevail,” the President wrote, expressing gratitude for the Pope’s “moral leadership and apostolic support.”
The papal message stood out among a series of greetings Zelenskyy received from world leaders on Independence Day, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron, King Charles III of Britain, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, and Spain’s King Felipe VI.
Ukraine’s Independence Day, celebrated annually on August 24, recalls the country’s historic 1991 break from the Soviet Union. This year’s commemoration was marked by both defiance and grief, as the nation continues to withstand Russian aggression.
The Pope’s message followed closely on his call for a Global Day of Prayer and fasting for peace on August 22, the feast of the Queenship of Mary. It also comes after his July meeting with Zelenskyy at Castel Gandolfo, during which both leaders discussed “just and lasting paths of peace.” Vatican officials have since reiterated Pope Leo’s willingness to facilitate talks between Ukraine and Russia should conditions allow.
For Ukraine, the papal letter underscored not only international solidarity but also the moral weight of the Church’s voice in calling for a ceasefire and dialogue at a moment when the nation’s future remains fiercely contested.