Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived in Rome to attend the funeral ceremony for Pope Francis, according to an announcement by presidential spokesperson Serhiy Nikiforov.
“Volodymyr Zelenskyy, First Lady Olena Zelenska, and the Ukrainian delegation will participate in the farewell ceremony for Pope Francis,” Nikiforov told journalists, as reported by RBK-Ukraine.
Zelensky had previously said that Ukraine would be represented at the Pope’s funeral even if he personally could not attend the ceremony.
US President Donald Trump and his wife have also arrived in Rome for the ceremony. Before his visit, Trump suggested he “possibly” would meet with the Ukrainian president in Rome.
The Italian newspaper La Repubblica recently reported alleged plans for Ukraine to organize a summit in Italy when world leaders gather for the Pope’s funeral. According to the newspaper, this would not simply be a bilateral meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, but a summit in the Quint format—potentially including the United States, Italy, France, Great Britain, and possibly Germany.
La Repubblica reported that some countries, particularly Italy, had doubts about holding such an expanded summit. The Ukrainian President’s Office has not commented on the Italian media report.
Pope Francis died on 21 April at the age of 88. He had led the Holy See since 2013. The cause of death was reportedly a stroke. The Pope had serious health problems in February and March, spending a month in the hospital with severe pneumonia.
His Easter appearance on 20 April was his first major public appearance after his illness, and he passed away suddenly the following day.
The farewell ceremony for Pope Francis is taking place today, 26 April, in Rome.
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