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Pope Francis receives Zelensky’s aide in audience, Vatican says

Ukraine has said it has been working towards a potential trip by the head of the Roman Catholic Church to Kiev

VATICAN, October 1. /TASS/. Pope Francis has received a Ukrainian presidential aide in audience, the Vatican’s press service reported on Saturday.

Advisor to the Office of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky Alyona Verbitskaya is mentioned among people received by the pontiff in audience this morning. No details were reported.

Ukraine has said it has been working towards a potential trip by the head of the Roman Catholic Church to Kiev. The pope himself has said he is willing to make such a visit to express his closeness to the people of Ukraine. However, Francis told his Jesuit brothers in a private meeting in mid-September that God’s will was not to go at this precise moment. The doctors do not recommend that the 85-year-old pontiff travel at all over knee pain. Meanwhile, Vatican representatives have been regularly visiting Ukraine of late. Apostolic Almoner Konrad Krajewski, a Polish cardinal, recently came under a shelling attack in Ukraine, but was not injured.

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Ukraine Pope Francis Vladimir Zelensky

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