Russian Patriarch Cyril I will meet in Moscow this Thursday with Pope Francis’ envoy for peace in Ukraine, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Russian Orthodox Church sources say.
The meeting will take place this afternoon, the Russian news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti report.
Matteo Zuppi met with the adviser to the Russian Presidency for International Affairs, Yuri Ushakov, on Wednesday.
So far, the Kremlin has not revealed the content of the talks, but the president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia, Archbishop Pavel Pezzi, said the two issues raised concerned refugees.
“The cardinal’s meeting with Yuri Ushakov took place in a good and positive atmosphere. The main issue raised was the humanitarian problem related to refugees, including minors,” said Pavel Pezzi to the TASS news agency.
No information has been provided by the Vatican and Russian authorities if there will be more meetings between Matteo Zuppi and other Russian officials.
This trip to Russia comes three weeks after Cardinal Pavel Zuppi’s visit to Kiev, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
In Kiev, the papal envoy had several meetings and heard the president reaffirm that he will not accept any cessation of hostilities except Russia’s withdrawal from Ukrainian territory.
In response, Moscow said that Kiev authorities had to adapt to the new reality.
Ukraine and Russia participated in talks in the first months of the war, but without success.
So far, all initiatives for the two sides to resume dialogue have failed.
Source: DN
