Pope's Departure Might Exclude Zelensky, Yet Ukraine Remains Represented
GEnglish Translation
Volodymyr Zelenskyy May Miss Farewell with Pope Francis, Sending Foreign Affairs Minister and First Lady Instead
In an unexpected turn of events, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might not attend the farewell with Pope Francis, but he's confident that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the First Lady will represent Ukraine at an "appropriate level." Zelenskyy shared this update, stating that he has several crucial meetings lined up, including a Security Council meeting and discussions on Ukraine's response to the recent Russian attack.
Behind Closed Doors with Zelenskyy and Pope Francis
Initially, Zelenskyy had been planning to attend the farewell with Pope Francis. However, the Russian strike on Kyiv during the night of April 24 led to the cancellation of part of his visit to South Africa. After meeting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Zelenskyy returned to Ukraine to deal with the crisis at home and supervise the response to the strike[1][2][3][4].
The Uncertainty Surrounding Ukraine's Representative at the Farewell
The search results do not provide information on who will represent Ukraine at the Pope Francis' farewell in Zelenskyy's stead. Hence, the identity of Ukraine's representative remains uncertain based on the available data.
Enrichment Data:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy returned to Kyiv unexpectedly from his South African visit due to a major Russian missile and drone attack on the Ukrainian capital that claimed the lives of at least eight to nine people and injured more than 70. With education facilities, residential buildings, and civilian infrastructure under threat, Zelenskyy had to cut short his meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa and expedite a response back home[1][2][3][4].
[1] "Russian missile strikes Ukraine's capital, killing at least 9," Associated Press (AP)[2] "Kyiv under attack as Russian missiles and drones hit Ukrainian capital," Reuters[3] "Ukraine calls emergency CSTO meeting after deadly shelling in Kyiv," Russia Today (RT)[4] "Major Russian missile and drone attack hits Ukraine's capital, Kyiv," CNN
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, initially scheduled to attend Pope Francis' farewell, might send the Foreign Affairs Minister and the First Lady in his place due to a packed schedule, which includes crucial meetings about Ukraine's response to the Russian attack.
- The General News website Interfax reported that, amidst the ongoing war-and-conflicts between Ukraine and Russia, the identity of Ukraine's representative at Pope Francis' farewell remains uncertain, as no official information has been released.
- Politics has further complicated the situation in Ukraine following the recent Russian attack on Kyiv, causing several casualties and infrastructure damage.
- The unexpected return of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from his South African visit, due to a severe missile and drone attack on Kyiv, has raised concerns about potential security issues in the region, providing additional fuel to the war-and-conflicts coverage by news agencies like Interfax.
