IRIA News

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Leo XIV and during his visit to Italy on December 9, 2025, continuing a week of high-level European diplomacy while firmly rejecting pressure from Washington to accept territorial concessions to Russia.

The visit came after a series of meetings across Europe aimed at coordinating positions on a revised US peace plan to end Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year.

On Monday, Zelenskyy held talks in London with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The discussions centered on the latest version of a U.S.-proposed peace plan, which has undergone multiple drafts following negotiations in Geneva, Moscow, and Miami.

Later that evening in Brussels, Zelenskyy met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for dinner.

Zelenskyy said on Monday that the original 28-point plan presented by U.S. negotiators had been reduced to 20 points after recent talks. “We are going to work on these 20 points,” he told an online press conference, adding that key disagreements remained regarding territorial control and security guarantees for Ukraine.

U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators finished three days of talks on Saturday aimed at narrowing differences on the Trump administration’s proposal.

I met with the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy, @GiorgiaMeloni, in Rome. We had an excellent and very substantive discussion on all aspects of the diplomatic situation. We appreciate Italy’s active role in generating practical ideas and defining steps to bring… pic.twitter.com/m0tZGYFJUa

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 9, 2025

Firm Rejection of Concessions

Zelenskyy made clear that Kyiv refuses to give up any territory, despite growing pressure from Washington. In a WhatsApp chat with reporters late Monday, he said, “Undoubtedly, Russia insists that we give up territories. We, clearly, don’t want to give up anything. That’s what we are fighting for.”

“Do we consider ceding any territories? According to the law, we don’t have such a right. According to Ukraine’s law, our constitution, international law, and, to be frank, we don’t have a moral right either.”

The Trump administration’s proposal includes a demand that Ukraine surrender the Donbas region, where Russia occupies parts but not all of the territory. Ukraine and its European partners have continued to reject any ceding of land.

Trump has suggested Russia holds the “upper hand” militarily and that President Vladimir Putin is “fine” with the proposal, though the Kremlin publicly insists it wants all of Donbas, not just the areas currently under its control.

Trump has also called for Ukraine to hold presidential elections despite martial law restrictions. Before heading to Palazzo Chigi on Tuesday, Zelenskyy told Italian reporters he was “always ready for elections” after Trump accused him of “using the war” to avoid them. Asked about Meloni, Zelenskyy said: “I trust her, she will help us.”

Meeting with the Pope at Castel Gandolfo

Earlier on Tuesday, Zelenskyy met Pope Leo XIV at Castel Gandolfo. According to the Vatican, the pontiff “reiterated the need for the continuation of dialogue and expressed his urgent desire that the current diplomatic initiatives bring about a just and lasting peace.”

The two also discussed prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia. Pope Leo XIV, who has met Zelenskyy three times and spoken at least once with President Putin, has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and urged Moscow to make a gesture toward peace.

Ukraine deeply appreciates all the support of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex and the Holy See – the ongoing humanitarian assistance and the readiness to expand humanitarian missions.

During today’s audience with His Holiness, I thanked him for his constant prayers for… pic.twitter.com/J2iPAdArQn

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 9, 2025

Italy’s Debate Over Future Aid

The Italian government postponed a decision last week on whether to renew military aid to Ukraine, with the current authorization set to expire on December 31, 2025. One of Meloni’s coalition partners, Matteo Salvini’s League party, remains more skeptical of continued support.

Rome has supplied weapons to Ukraine, but only for use inside the country. Meloni has ruled out sending Italian troops to a possible monitoring mission proposed by the UK and France.

Despite internal divisions, Meloni said last week that “as long as there’s a war, we’ll do what we can, as we’ve always done to help Ukraine defend itself.”

Italian Mediation and Pressure in Talks with Zelenskyy

Italian media reports described Meloni’s meeting with Zelenskyy as lasting around ninety minutes and occurring amid renewed pressure by former President Donald Trump on both Kyiv and European capitals. Trump has said, “In Ukraine, it’s time to vote,” and criticized European leaders as “weak.”

According to the reports, Meloni took on the role of a bridge between Washington and Brussels, conveying Western concerns that public opinion is tiring of the conflict and that a solution must be found. Italian accounts described this as a form of moral suasion, stressing the importance of “solid security guarantees” for Kyiv under a model similar to NATO’s Article 5.

In a message on Telegram, Zelenskyy later called the conversation “excellent” and “very significant on all aspects of the diplomatic situation.” He also thanked Italy for supplying power generators and equipment to help civilians facing Russian attacks.

On X, Zelenskyy wrote that he appreciated “Italy’s active role in generating concrete ideas and defining measures to bring peace closer.” He added that he had informed Meloni about the work of Ukraine’s negotiating team and that both sides were “coordinating our diplomatic efforts.”

He also expressed gratitude for Italy’s new package of energy assistance, saying: “These are precisely the tools that will support Ukrainian families, our people, our children, and daily life in our cities and communities, which continue to suffer constant attacks from Russia. We must protect human lives. Thank you, Italy!”

Meloni Stresses Unity with Washington and Brussels

In a carefully worded statement issued nearly three hours after the meeting, the Italian government said Meloni and Zelenskyy “analyzed the progress of the negotiation process and shared the next steps to be taken to achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”

The statement emphasized the “importance of unity of views between European and American partners” and the need for “robust security guarantees that prevent future aggression,” alongside continued pressure on Russia to negotiate “in good faith.” Meloni reiterated Italy’s solidarity with Ukraine and its commitment to supporting reconstruction.

Two key unresolved issues remain in the background of the discussions: the use of frozen Russian assets and Ukraine’s participation in European security initiatives. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha raised both matters during talks with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, calling for full use of frozen Russian funds and greater support under ongoing European programs.