‘Strong Rebirth’
On the front line, near the eastern flashpoint town of Bakhmut, both sides claimed to be making progress.
“Our troops are advancing on some sectors of the front, and the enemy is losing equipment and manpower,” Ukrainian army commander Oleksandr Syrsky said on social media on Saturday.
Russia said its forces were still moving inside Bakhmut.
“In the Donetsk direction, assault troops liberated a block in the northwestern part of the city of Artemovsk,” the Defense Ministry said, referring to its Russian name, Bakhmut.
Western allies have supplied Ukraine with increasingly powerful weapons. Britain announced this week that it was sending Storm Shadow missiles, becoming the first country to send the long-range weapon to Kiev.
Russia described it as an “extremely hostile move” and on Saturday accused Kiev of using British missiles to target civilian sites in eastern Ukraine, injuring six children.
In Rome, Zelensky said he discussed with Pope Francis the fate of “tens of thousands of children” who Kiev says were deported to Russia, as well as his plans for peace.
Zelensky also thanked Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for “helping save lives”.
“I am confident that Ukraine will win and be stronger, more proud and more prosperous than ever,” Meloni said in response.