Pope Francis met on Saturday with the Russian ambassador to the Holy See, Ivan Soltanovsky, the Vatican press office reported.
Details of the meeting are unknown. The papal press service only reported that it took place.
Francis spoke with the Russian ambassador a week after he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit in Puglia.
Papal envoy at the Swiss summit
The meeting between the Pope and Sołtanowski took place a few days after the international conference on Ukraine organized in Switzerland. Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, representing the Holy See there as an observer, said in his speech at the forum that Ukraine, “while making enormous efforts to defend itself against aggression, has also worked tirelessly on the diplomatic front to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
Cardinal Parolin emphasized the position of the Holy See that “in the face of war and its tragic consequences, it is important never to give up, but to continue to look for ways to end the conflict with good intentions, trust and creativity.”
After returning from Switzerland, reporting on the conference, the Secretary of State announced that “its participants pointed out that Russia's absence (during this event) was a major limitation.” “Peace is built together,” Cardinal Parolin declared.
Francis has repeatedly announced that he will go to Ukraine if he can also go to Russia.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/Riccardo Antimiani