Head of the Coordination Headquarters Meets with the Pope's Special Envoy for Ukraine

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi visited the Coordination Headquarters as part of his official visit to Ukraine.

The Head of the Coordination Headquarters, Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko, expressed his sincere appreciation to the Vatican's Special Envoy and to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for their continued attention to the humanitarian consequences of Russia's unprovoked aggression against Ukraine.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the full range of pressing humanitarian issues related to the protection of the rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians unlawfully detained by the Russian Federation, the return of unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children, inadequate conditions of detention in Russian places of confinement, the search for missing persons, the repatriation of the bodies of the deceased, as well as torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Lieutenant General Ivashchenko reaffirmed Ukraine's full readiness to implement an "all-for-all" exchange of prisoners of war and underscored the urgent need to improve the conditions in which Ukrainian prisoners and civilian detainees are being held. He further stated:

"The families of those held in captivity—people deprived of their liberty and, in many cases, even of the basic right to communicate with their loved ones—place great hope in the Catholic Church. Through the strength of its moral and spiritual authority, it can bring the joyful news of their release and deliver the message that every one of them is remembered, loved, and eagerly awaited at home."

Representatives of family associations serving on the Public Council under the Coordination Headquarters also addressed the Pope's Special Envoy. They expressed their gratitude to the Holy See for its consistent commitment to advancing prisoner exchanges and promoting solutions to urgent humanitarian issues.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi acknowledged the humanitarian efforts of both Pope Francis, whose pontificate continued until the spring of 2025, and His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in supporting the release of persons held in captivity and efforts to end torture. He stated:

"The Holy See prays for the swift release and safe return home of all prisoners of war and civilian detainees."

The Vatican's Special Envoy also expressed his appreciation to the Coordination Headquarters for arranging his visit to a prisoner-of-war camp.

The meeting also underscored Ukraine's expectation that its international partners will pursue determined diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving shared humanitarian objectives: the immediate cessation of the systematic use of torture, and securing from the Russian Federation complete official information regarding all Ukrainian and foreign nationals deprived of their liberty or held in captivity.

Ukraine also looks to its partners to take resolute action toward the common objective of bringing all of our people home.

During his visit, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi was accompanied by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, and Ukraine's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash.