Pope Francis blessed an ambulance that the Vatican sent to Ukraine

An ambulance that was donated and blessed by Pope Francis is heading to the city of Lviv, in western Ukraine, according to the Holy See press office on Saturday.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almsman, left today for Lviv and will make a journey of approximately 18 hours to deliver the vehicle to the authorities of that city, in an effort to bring relief to the area.

On Thursday, the pope issued strong criticism of countries for increasing military spending while Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, calling it “madness”.

Last Tuesday, Francis again telephoned the President of Ukraine, Volodymir Zelensky, who assured the pontiff that “he is the most waiting guest in the country”.

“I spoke with His Holiness about the difficult humanitarian situation and the blockade of humanitarian corridors by Russian troops,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter. “The mediating role of the Holy See in ending human suffering would be appreciated. Grateful for the prayers for Ukraine and peace,” he added.

Francis, for his part, told the Ukrainian president that he is “praying and doing everything possible to end the war, provoked after the invasion of Russia,” Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yuash, reported on Twitter.

“New gesture of support from Pope Francis: A few minutes ago the Holy Father called President Zelensky. They had a promising conversation. The Pope said that he is praying and doing everything possible for the end of the war and Zelensky reiterated that His Holiness is the most anticipated guest in Ukraine,” the diplomat wrote.

Francis had already called the Ukrainian president on February 26, when he expressed “his deep pain” to him at what was happening.

For his part, US President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian Foreign and Defense Ministers this Saturday at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Warsaw, in his first talks with senior Kiev officials since the invasion of Russia began on February 24.

During the meeting, Biden sat at a long white table next to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken; and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Ukrainian Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, and Defense Ministers Oleksiy Réznikov, said the pool of journalists accredited to the White House covering the visit.

Shortly before noon, the press had access to the beginning of the meeting. Journalists were able to hear how Kuleba told Biden that, since the war began, he has learned to “sleep under any circumstances”, allowing him to rest during the train that took him to Warsaw.

Biden replied that he too can sleep on trains, thanks to the fact that when he was a senator, he took them daily to move from the US capital to the state in which he resided, Delaware.

Kuleba said in a tweet that the meeting with this large US delegation will make it possible to “seek practical solutions in the political and defense spheres, to strengthen Ukraine's ability to combat Russian aggression.”

For his part, Reznikov said on his official Twitter account that both ministers will be present at Biden's speech on the war in Ukraine this Saturday at 18:00 (17:00 GMT) at the Royal Palace in Warsaw.

The meeting between the US and Ukrainian delegations lasted more than an hour and a half, and Biden was present at it for about 40 minutes, according to the White House.

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