Pope's peace envoy meets Lavrov and Orthodox Church representatives
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi goes to Moscow to discuss POW exchange and repatriation of Ukrainian children who were taken to Russia.
A significant diplomatic engagement is taking place between the Vatican, Kyiv, and Moscow. After meeting with the Ukrainian President last week, Pope Francis sent his peace envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, to Moscow for talks with Russian state and religious authorities.
The Cardinal's visit is primarily to address the issue of exchanging prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children from Russia. In 2023, Cardinal Zuppi was named Pope Francis’ special peace envoy, entrusted to “initiate paths of peace.”
According to the Vatican's press office, Cardinal Zuppi has travelled to Moscow to meet with key Russian officials and “assess further efforts to facilitate the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families and the exchange of prisoners, with a view to achieving the much-hoped-for peace. "
On Monday, he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on “the constructive development of the Russia-Vatican dialogue", saying that the parties discussed “humanitarian cooperation around the conflict in Ukraine.”
On the second day of his trip, Cardinal Zuppi had a meeting with Maria Lvova-Belova, who serves as Russia's Children's Ombudsperson.
This is Matteo Zuppi’s second visit to Moscow after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Cardinal also held talks with Russia’s Orthodox Church's foreign minister’ Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, who is the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. In a short statement on Telegram, it was reported that both sides “discussed humanitarian issues related to the conflict in Ukraine, as well as other issues of mutual interest.”
Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow, has said that a meeting with Patriarch Kirill is not on the agenda.
“In the busy work schedule of Patriarch Kirill, a new meeting with Cardinal Zuppi is not expected. Let me remind you that the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church received the Cardinal in June last year,” stated Balashov.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky asked the Vatican for support on humanitarian issues during his meeting with Pope Francis on Friday.
In July, the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholics, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, publicly thanked Cardinal Zuppi for the mediation efforts, which resulted in the release of two Ukrainian priests from Russian captivity.