Pope Francis has asked the Italian cardinal to serve as a papal envoy to “initiate paths of peace” between Russia and Ukraine.
The Moscow trip follows Zuppi’s visit to Kyiv earlier this month where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other political leaders.
Zelenskyy, writing on the messaging internet service Telegram, said he and Zuppi discussed the situation in Ukraine and humanitarian cooperation.
“Only joint efforts, diplomatic isolation, and pressure on Russia can bring a just peace on Ukrainian soil,” the Ukrainian president said. “I ask the Holy See to help implement the Ukrainian peace plan. Ukraine welcomes the willingness of other states and partners to find ways to peace, but since the war is on our territory the solution for achieving peace can only be Ukrainian.”
An official from the Vatican Secretariat of State will travel with Zuppi to Moscow, which is still dealing with the fallout of the unprecedented Wagner rebellion which could potentially influence the next phase of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Zuppi, the archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian bishops’ conference, has strong ties to the influential peace-building community Sant’Egidio.
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