Joachin Meisner Hertz
ZENIT News / Moscow-kyiv, 06.06.2023).- After Cardinal Matteo Zuppi’s first official visit, as the Pope’s delegate, to the Ukrainian capital, he now faces the challenge of visiting the Russian President. However, according to what the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said to the Russian Agency TASS, Putin has no plan to meet with Cardinal Zuppi. For the time being no (meeting, ed.) is included. I will inform you,” said Peskov to the press, after being asked about a meeting between Zuppi and Putin.
For its part, on Tuesday, June 6, the Holy See Press Office reported that Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Francis’ envoy, ended his brief but intense visit to Kiev, accompanied by an official of the State Secretariat, during which he also had the occasion to pause in prayer in the ancient church of Saint Sophia. At the end of his mission, he cordially thanked the Civil Authorities for the meetings held, in particular that with President Volodymyr Zelenski.
The results of these conversations, as well as those held with Religious Representatives and Cardinal Zuppi’s direct experience of the atrocious sufferings of the Ukrainian people, due to the ongoing war, will be made known to the Holy Father and, without a doubt, will be useful to assess the steps to follow, both on the humanitarian plane as well as the quest for ways to a just and lasting peace.
