Ukraine's Ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash, formally presented his letter of accreditation to Pope Francis, who greeted him in Ukrainian.
The Pope met also his wife and children.
Among his gifts, the Ambassador gave Pope Francis a traditional Ukrainian pastry, and a bushel of wheat, a symbol of bounty.
The two then met privately, only days after Pope Francis said that a papal trip to Ukraine is on the table.
POPE FRANCIS
It's there as one of the options that has come to me, but I don't know if it can be done.
Their meeting comes on the same day that Ukraine's foreign minister travels to NATO headquarters to meet with foreign ministers, asking Western governments for increased arms support.
DMYTRO KULEBA
Ukrainian Foreign Minister
As weird as it may sound, today weapons serve the purpose of peace.
In recent days, Pope Francis has been extremely critical of increased weapons spending.
POPE FRANCIS
Buying arms in response to what is happening now. Madness.
But Ukraine's new Ambassador to the Holy See maintains that the Vatican is doing everything possible to stop the war.
JM
