VATICAN CITY — An Italian Cardinal tasked by Pope Francis with making an attempt to assist finish the struggle in Ukraine will go to Moscow this week as a observe as much as his journey to Kyiv, the Vatican mentioned on Tuesday.
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi will likely be within the Russian capital on Wednesday and Thursday, a press release mentioned.
“The main purpose of the initiative is to encourage humanitarian gestures, which can contribute to facilitating a solution to the current tragic situation and find ways to achieve a just peace,” the assertion mentioned.
It was not clear who Zuppi would meet in Moscow. He met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and non secular leaders in Kyiv on June 6.
If Zuppi, 67, meets Russian President Vladimir Putin, he could be one of many first foreigners to take action since an aborted mutiny in opposition to the Russian navy over the weekend.
A Vatican supply mentioned Zuppi’s journey had been susceptible to being referred to as off due to the tried mutiny and the confusion surrounding it.
Zuppi advised reporters final week that he would seek the advice of with the pope earlier than leaving for Moscow. Speaking of his twin visits to the 2 capitals, he mentioned it was “a pattern that needs to be woven for the resolution of the conflict”.
Zuppi was anticipated to fulfill with Patriarch Kirill, the pinnacle of the Russian Orthodox Church, based on the French Catholic newspaper La Croix.
Kirill is a detailed ally of Putin and absolutely backs the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a bulwark in opposition to a West he describes as decadent. His full-throated assist for the struggle has fractured the world’s Orthodox Christian communities.
The Vatican assertion’s point out of “humanitarian gestures” seemed to be a reference to Kyiv’s request – and the Vatican’s willingness – to assist with the repatriation of Ukrainian kids.
Kyiv estimates practically 19,500 kids have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea since February 2022, in what it condemns as unlawful deportations.
Zelenskiy has requested the Vatican to again his unconditional peace plan, which requires restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities, and the restoration of Ukraine’s state borders. — Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
