Ukraine: according to the Vatican, the Pope entrusts the mission of peace to an Italian cardinal

VATICAN (Reuters) – Pope Francis has entrusted Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian episcopal conference, with a peace mission to try to end the war in Ukraine, the Vatican said on Saturday.

Pope Francis mentioned a mission last month when he returned from a trip to Hungary, without giving further details.

According to a diplomatic source in the Vatican, the plan is for Cardinal Matteo Zuppi to meet separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Vatican indicated in a press release that Matteo Zuppi, aged 67, in agreement with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, “to contribute to reducing the tension of the conflict in Ukraine, in the hope that the Holy See may never Will be released, will complete this mission.” Father, to start the peace process”.

The Vatican says the timing and details of the mission are being worked out.

(Reporting by Philippe Pullela, French edition Mathieu Protard)