Kiev to ask for the Vatican's help to secure release of prisoners
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko believes that representatives of the Vatican could join the negotiations on the release of illegally detained Ukrainians. He discussed this issue with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
"We have agreed to coordinate our actions on the involvement of the Holy See in the humanitarian missions to free the hostages," Poroshenko said during a joint briefing with Parolin in Kyiv on Friday. Poroshenko also asked the Vatican to assist in achieving visa-free travel with the European Union.
"I asked the Holy See to pay special attention to obtaining a visa-free regime with the EU for Ukrainian citizens. This is an important decision, which we expect from the EU, and I am grateful for the Holy See’s full support for all the aspirations of the Ukrainian state and the Ukrainian people," he said.
Poroshenko gave the Secretary of State an invitation for Pope Francis to visit Ukraine. Earlier it was reported that the Vatican had allocated millions of euros worth of aid for Ukraine.