The Vatican on Wednesday kept open the possibility that Pope Francis’ envoy for the war in Ukraine, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, would travel to Moscow after visiting kyiv.
“On the part of the Pope, the idea was born precisely as a mission to the two capitals. Therefore, the prospect of going to Moscow must remain open, but now we are going to implement it,” Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said.
The Kremlin (Russian Presidency) had previously indicated that President Vladimir Putin had not scheduled a meeting with Zuppi, but that any change in plans would be disclosed.
In statements collected by the Italian media during the inauguration of a pilgrimage center in Rome, the Vatican Secretary of State said that it would be necessary to speak with Zuppi when the cardinal returns.
“Then, naturally, we will inform the Pope,” Parolin was quoted as saying by the Spanish news agency EFE, hours before Francis was to be operated under general anesthesia for an abdominal hernia.
In kyiv, the papal envoy held several meetings and heard President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirm that he will not accept any cessation of hostilities that does not include Russia’s withdrawal from Ukrainian territory.
Among other measures, Zelensky demands the withdrawal of Russian forces from all Ukrainian territory, including the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, annexed in September, and Crimea, occupied since 2014.
In response, Moscow said that the kyiv authorities had to adapt to the new reality.
Regarding the contacts in kyiv, Parolin said that “nothing new has happened” in relation to what Zelensky had already conveyed to the Pope when he visited Vatican City in May.
“Ukraine’s position is always the same, but talking to each other and hearing slightly different positions or perspectives can be helpful and promote peace. I don’t know what developments will happen,” he added.
The head of Vatican diplomacy also said he hopes Pope Francis, 86, will return soon to “exercise his ministry.”
According to Parolin, the operation to which Francisco will undergo “does not imply any vacancy of powers” and the head of the Catholic Church will be able to deal with urgent matters from the hospital.
Ukraine and Russia still participated in talks in the first months of the war started by Moscow on February 24, 2022, but without success.
So far, all initiatives for the two sides to resume dialogue have failed.
Source: TSF
