Zelenskyy, in Rome for talks with pope, hears Italian president say, 'We're at your side.'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Rome to meet with Pope Francis and Italian leaders, has received assurances from Italy's president that Italy “is at your side.” Francis has previously said the Vatican has launched a behind-the-scenes initiative to try to end the war launched last year by Russia. Zelenskyy on Saturday and Premier Giorgia Meloni met with an embrace ahead of their meeting. Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy was hosted at the presidential palace for talks with Italy's head of state, President Sergio Mattarella, who told him that Italy was “at your side” in Ukraine's battle against Russia's invading forces in a 15-month-old war.