VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV held his first private audience as Catholic leader on Sunday (May 18) with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after highlighting the hopes for peace for a "martyred Ukraine".

Zelenskyy attended the inauguration mass on Sunday morning of Leo, the first pope from the United States, where he also shook hands with US Vice President JD Vance.

The politicians were among hundreds of dignitaries and an estimated 200,000 members of the public who attended the ceremony in St Peter's Square, 10 days after Leo became the first US head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

"The martyred Ukraine is waiting for negotiations for a just and lasting peace to finally happen," the 69-year-old pope said in a prayer after the mass.

Zelenskyy lined up to shake hands with Pope Leo afterwards, and then he and his wife joined the pontiff for a private audience.

In a video published by the Vatican, the soft-spoken Leo told the Ukrainian leader: "Nice to see you again."

When they were all seated, he apologised for making the couple wait. 

As is customary, they also exchanged gifts.

Leo only had two private audiences on Sunday.

The other was with President Dina Boluarte of Peru, a country where the pontiff worked as a missionary for two decades and of which he also has citizenship.

Earlier, in his homily, Leo said he wanted the Church to be a "leaven for a reconciled world", calling for peace.

In response, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram: "We are grateful for the special words spoken today at the solemn mass about the need for a just peace and for the attention given to Ukraine and our people. 

"Every nation deserves to live in peace and security."

He offered his congratulations to the pope "on the beginning of such a special mission". 

"May the prayers for a just peace and a dignified life for all people be heard," he said.

The late Pope Francis met Zelenskyy several times and repeatedly called for peace in Ukraine, even appointing a special envoy who visited Kyiv and Moscow.

But many Ukrainians remember him bitterly for failing to clearly blame Russia for its invasion and calling for Ukraine to raise the "white flag".

Moscow and Kyiv held their first direct talks in more than three years this week but did not agree a truce.

In his Regina Coeli prayer at the end of the mass, Leo also noted: "In Gaza, children, families and elderly survivors are reduced to hunger."

And he recalled how "in Myanmar, new hostilities have destroyed innocent young lives".