Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


ZelenskiyAsks Pope for Help in Releasing POWs in Eastern Ukraine

RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service

   Ukraine's president has asked Pope Francis for help in securing the
   release of prisoners of war held by Russia and by Russia-backed
   separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine.

   VolodymyrZelenskiymade the request after a meetingSaturdaywith the
   pontiff at the Vatican.

   "[The pope] does everything possible to achieve peace and harmony
   throughout the world,"Zelenskiysaid in a tweet after their meeting.

   "I asked for help with the release of Ukrainians captured in Donbas,
   Crimea and Russia," he said.

   Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in March 2014. A month
   later, fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine, and theconflict
   hassincekilled more than 13,000 people and displaced more than 1
   million.

   Since being elected in May 2019,Zelenskiyhas overseen two major swaps
   of prisoners with Russia and the separatist fighters it backs in
   eastern Ukraine.

   Pope Francis, the 83-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church, has
   severaltimesvoiced hope for an end to the conflict.

   Francis offered a prayer ahead of the key summit involvingZelenskiyand
   Russian President Vladimir Putin in Paris in December 2019. The pope
   also called for peace in eastern Ukraine in his Christmas message.

   The overwhelming majority of observant Ukrainians are Orthodox
   Christian; only a small percentage consider themselves Roman Catholic.

   However, Greek or Eastern Rite Catholics are the second-largest
   Christian denomination in the country and recognize the pope as their
   spiritual leader.

   Medal for Zelenskiy

   During the photo session of the meeting, which was open to reporters,
   Francis gaveZelenskiya medal of St. Martin of Tours and said he hoped
   the saint "will protect your people from war."

   Zelenskiyarrived in ItalyonFriday, when he met with Italian Prime
   Minister Giuseppe Conte.

   Talks in Rome were reported to focus on VitaliyMarkiv, a Ukrainian
   national guardsman sentenced in 2019 by an Italian court to 24 years in
   prison for his role in the deaths of an Italian photojournalist and his
   translator during fighting near the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk
   in 2014.

.