Zelensky Gifts Pope Artwork Painted on Artillery Shell

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented Pope Leo XIV with a symbolic gift during their meeting on May 18—a painting of the Virgin Mary and Child created on the metal casing of an artillery shell, sourced from a war-torn city near the front lines.

The artwork, which came from the city of Izium in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region—just 40 to 50 kilometers from active combat zones—was meant to send a message of hope and remembrance.

"This painting represents the children suffering because of war, and those who were taken from Ukraine and are still waiting to return home," Zelensky wrote on social media following the meeting. He also praised Pope Leo XIV as "a symbol of hope and peace," adding that the Vatican could play a key role in ending the war, including potentially hosting peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

Zelensky and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte were the first foreign leaders to have a private audience with the new Pope following his inauguration earlier that day.

Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of unlawfully relocating more than 19,000 Ukrainian children since the war began in February 2022. Fewer than 400 have reportedly been returned. Russia denies the allegations, saying it evacuated children from conflict zones to ensure their safety.

The repatriation of Ukrainian children remains one of Kyiv’s main conditions for entering peace talks. Pope Leo XIV, who previously served as the bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a 2022 interview.

Ahead of the inauguration ceremony in Rome, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also voiced support for Vatican-led diplomacy, calling it a “neutral ground” for potential peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.

(Sources: Kyiv Independent, Vatican News)

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