Zelensky Meets Pope Francis as He Seeks European Backing Ahead of Talks With Meloni

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Pope Francis at Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday as part of a brief European outreach to shore up support for a revised Ukrainian peace proposal. Later the same day he was scheduled to meet Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, before briefing US officials on his updated plan.

Zelensky’s stop in Italy followed an emergency summit at Downing Street on Monday with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain, where he discussed his counter-proposal. The diplomatic push comes as a competing plan reportedly backed by Donald Trump has been widely criticised for favoring Russian demands and calling for Ukraine to cede significant territory.

Pressure From US Envoys and Kremlin Meeting

A Ukrainian official told Axios that after a five-hour Kremlin meeting between Vladimir Putin and two US envoys — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — the U.S. position appeared to harden. The official said a subsequent two-hour phone call felt like pressure on Kyiv to give a rapid "yes" to the proposal.

"It felt like the US was trying to sell us in different ways the Russian desire to take the whole of Donbas and that the Americans wanted Zelensky to accept all of it in the phone call," the official told Axios.

The official added that the terms became tougher on issues of territory and on control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after the Moscow meeting.

Zelensky’s Red Lines and Diplomatic Reactions

Zelensky told reporters he would not cede Ukrainian land. "We have no right to under the law — under the law of Ukraine, under our constitution, or under international law, to be honest. And we also have no moral right," he said. "That is what we are fighting for."

Pope Francis also reiterated calls for peace during a recent visit to Turkey, urging people and leaders to work toward unity and harmony. Meanwhile, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni has expressed solidarity with Ukraine but appears cautious about fully antagonising the Trump camp and has largely left the UK, France and Germany to lead Europe’s diplomatic push.

Security Guarantees and Frontline Reality

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, President Emmanuel Macron of France and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have urged US security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression. On the battlefield, conflict continues: the Kremlin reported Russia shot down 121 Ukrainian drones — including 22 over Crimea — and regional officials said Russian strikes hit the northern city of Sumy twice in 24 hours, causing power outages.

The coming days are likely to test Kyiv’s diplomatic strategy as Zelensky balances international pressure, legal and moral constraints, and ongoing military realities.