Four First Ladies visit the Vatican to mark one thousand days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

The Spouse of the Prime Minister of Armenia Anna Hakobyan, the First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nausėdienė, the First Lady of Serbia Tamara Vučić, and the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska attended the event.

The First Ladies also attended a mass led by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome.

‘I am grateful to the Holy See, the Order of Malta, and the Italian Republic for this poignant gesture of solidarity and spiritual unity. Every word spoken today, I am sure, would have resonated in every Ukrainian heart,’ – the First Lady of Ukraine commented on the event in her speech.

Mrs Zelenska also expressed gratitude to the representatives of the Holy See for their visits to Ukraine and their efforts to free Ukrainians from captivity.

On the same day, the First Ladies visited the Vatican’s Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, where more than 650 Ukrainian children have been treated since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Olena Zelenska thanked the hospital’s president, Tiziano Onesti, for supporting Ukrainian children and Okhmatdyt, which was subjected to rocket attacks in July this year.

Finally, the First Ladies met with Laura Mattarella, the daughter of the President of Italy, currently serving as First Lady. Olena Zelenska thanked her for supporting Ukraine and invited Mrs Mattarella to join the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform.

‘Together, we can achieve much for the benefit of our countries. In particular, the child protection strategy developed by the Summit and already presented to the UN is needed not just for Ukraine, but for all countries that want to ensure a safe childhood,’ – emphasised Olena Zelenska.