The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Pope Francis's envoy would hold talks with President Vladimir Putin's adviser in Moscow as Russia "welcomed" the Vatican's peace efforts over Ukraine.
Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi began a Russia visit on Tuesday in the first such trip since Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022.
High-ranking Catholic clerics are rarely seen in Moscow, which no Pope has ever visited.
Zuppi's trip comes several weeks after he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.
"We highly value the efforts and initiatives of the Vatican in looking for a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "We welcome them."
He said Zuppi was due to hold talks with Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.
The Vatican said the purpose of Zuppi's visit was to "encourage gestures of humanity, which can help promote a solution to the current tragic situation and find ways to achieve a just peace."
Zuppi's meeting with Zelensky in early June ended without much progress, but Kyiv said the cleric could help in bringing home Ukrainian prisoners of war and children taken to Russia during the offensive.
The 67-year-old Italian cardinal hails from the Sant'Egidio Catholic Community, which specializes in diplomacy and peace efforts.
Pope Francis has been criticized by both Kyiv and Moscow during the conflict.
A Russian Roman Catholic prelate, Nikolay Dubinin, told state media this week that Zuppi "hoped" to meet Patriarch Kirill, but the Russian Orthodox Church did not confirm this.
Kirill is a vehement supporter of Putin's Ukrainian offensive, which he has described in holy terms.
Zuppi was due at a mass in Moscow's main Catholic cathedral on Thursday evening.
Almost a thousand years after a schism broke apart the churches, spiritual relations between the Vatican and Moscow remain icy.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
