Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky landed at Ciampino airport in Rome Saturday for a
one-day whistle-stop visit in which he will see President Sergio
Mattarella, Premier Giorgia Meloni and Pope Francis.
Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was at the
airport to welcome him.
Zelensky is expected at the presidential Quirinale Palace
between 11:30 and 12 for his talks with Mattarella.
At lunch time he will go to the premier's office at Palazzo
Chigi to meet Meloni and Tajani.
In the afternoon, around four o'clock, he will be received in an
audience by the pope and at 18:30 he will be interviewed on Rai
TV by journalist Bruno Vespa.
Rome has locked down for Zelensky's visit with a no fly zone
imposed and snipers, bomb squads and helicopters all set to be
deployed.
The Rome Police Headquarters on Friday issued a security plan
that includes a no-fly zone and a ban on drone overflights.
The use of bomb squads, helicopters and sharpshooters is
planned.
Clearances and controls will also be carried out underground.
The Tiber and the city's parks will be monitored, where
vigilance will also be ensured by the police's mounted unit,
while control from the air will be carried out with police
helicopters.
Police and Carabinieri anti-terrorist units will also be in the
field.
In all, around 1,000 police are being used for the surveillance
and security operation.
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