Italian President Sergio Mattarella will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday in Rome, the Italian presidency announced on Friday.
"We confirm that this meeting will take place tomorrow," a spokesperson for Italian President Sergio Mattarella said when asked about reports of a meeting with Zelenskyy.
This marks Zelenskyy's first visit to EU and NATO member Italy since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The meeting is due to be held at the Quirinal Palace, the official residence of the president.
Despite a history of strong relations with Moscow, Italy been sending money and weapons to Kyiv over the course of the invasion and backed Western sanctions against Russia.
Although not yet confirmed, Zelenskyy is also expected to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who visited Kyiv in February to show her country's support for Ukraine.
Related News
- 'More united than ever': NATO allies to coordinate further support for Ukraine
- Belgian PM travels to The Hague to meet with Zelenskyy
A Vatican source said on Friday that there would also be a "possible" meeting with Pope Francis, but this has not yet been confirmed. Pope Francis, who last hosted Zelenskyy at the Vatican in February 2020, has repeatedly called for peace in Ukraine and prays for the victims of the war almost every week during his general audience.
The Ukrainian president may also visit Germany over the weekend. On Sunday, he and the Ukrainian people are due to receive the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen, awarded for work done in the service of European unification.
