Pope ‘talks Ukraine peace’ with new Russian envoy

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis met on Monday with the brand new Russian ambassador to the Vatican, who mentioned they mentioned the pontiff’s efforts to deliver peace to Ukraine.

Ivan Soltanovsky, a long-time diplomat, introduced his formal accreditation to the 86-year-old head of the Catholic Church, in accordance with a Vatican assertion.

They “mentioned, specifically, the mission of the papal particular envoy to Ukraine, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, aimed toward fixing various humanitarian points”, Soltanovsky advised Russia’s official TASS information company.

“They agreed to proceed an trustworthy and open dialogue with the Holy See, historically constructed on the idea of mutual respect,” the diplomat added.

Pope says Ukraine battle fuelled not simply by ‘Russian empire’

Earlier this yr the pope appointed Zuppi, the pinnacle of Italy’s Bishops’ Convention, to steer a peace mission to attempt to cease the battle in Ukraine.

Zuppi has since visited Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Washington, the place he met with US President Joe Biden.

Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov urged final week the cardinal would return to Moscow.

Throughout a roundtable occasion, he mentioned, in accordance with TASS: “The efforts with the Vatican, whose envoy goes to return once more, are persevering with.

“We’re prepared to fulfill with everybody, we’re prepared to speak to everybody.”

Pope Francis recurrently requires peace in Ukraine, though within the early months after Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022 he drew criticism for not naming Moscow because the aggressor.

He paid a uncommon private go to to the Russian embassy to the Holy See the day after the invasion to “categorical his concern for the battle”, the Vatican mentioned on the time.