Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met privately with Pope Francis at the Vatican on May 13, 2023. In their conversation, the pair reportedly discussed plans to end the war with Russia, as well as the need for humanitarian efforts to support the population. President Zelensky sought support from the head of the Catholic Church for his 10-point peace plan, which would establish a tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes and create a European-Atlantic security structure with guarantees for Ukraine, among other measures.

After the meeting, Zelensky thanked Francis on Twitter for his attention to the "tragedy of millions of Ukrainians." The Vatican has previously stated its willingness to act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine. The Pope has often emphasized the need for peace in the region, even stating in February 2023 that he has been praying for peace and working on a peace plan.

However, the relationship between Ukraine and the Vatican has had its bumps. The Pope's comments in 2014 suggesting that Moscow's invasion of Ukraine was "perhaps somehow provoked" drew criticism from some Ukrainians. Additionally, last August, Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican criticized the Pope after he referred to the daughter of a Russian ultra-nationalist figure who was killed in a car bomb as an "innocent" victim of war.