Ukraine at the Vatican

This morning, the President of the Ukraine, His Excellency, Mister Petro Poroshenko, was received in Audience by the Holy Father, Pope Francis.  The Ukrainian President also met today with His Eminence, Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness and with His Excellency, Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.

The cordial discussions, affirming the good relations between the Holy See and Ukraine, were principally focused on issues related to conflict currently present within that country.  In this regard, wishes were shared that, with the commitment of all interested parties, this is a privileged political situation, beginning with the full implementation of the Agreement that was signed at Minsk.  At the same time, preoccupations were voiced concerning the difficulty of dealing with the humanitarian crisis, with particular reference to accessing specialized organizations which have been affected by the hostility, health care, the exchange of prisoners, as well as the economic and social impact of the crisis throughout the country.

This meeting furnished an occasion to recognize the important role that the Church plays in society, including the contribution of the Greek-Catholic community and the Latin Rite community to the life of the country.