Vatican representative in Moscow has called for end to war in Ukraine as soon as possible
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who is responsible for the Vatican’s relations with states and international organisations, is on a visit to Moscow, where he called for an end to the war in Ukraine following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the first face-to-face talks between Vatican and Russian officials in five years.
This is reported by Reuters, as relayed by Censor.NET.
"The path to reconciliation is becoming increasingly difficult"
Indeed, the archbishop stated that every day that Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine continues, "brings new casualties… and makes future reconciliation increasingly difficult".
"That is why it is essential to put an end to the conflict immediately," he said at a joint press conference with Lavrov.
It is also noted that the parties discussed ways of achieving peace in Ukraine and agreed to cooperate on humanitarian issues, in particular those relating to assistance for children affected by the war.
The Vatican will continue to foster dialogue
Furthermore, Gallagher emphasised that the Vatican "will continue to provide strong spiritual, diplomatic and humanitarian support, promoting dialogue and creating space for it", in order to bring an end to the war.
It is worth noting that Gallagher, the Vatican’s second-highest-ranking diplomatic representative, last visited Moscow for talks with Lavrov in 2021.
