A senior Vatican diplomat met Russia’s foreign minister in Moscow on Tuesday, calling for an urgent end to the four-year conflict in Ukraine as civilian casualties continue to mount.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the first face-to-face encounter between Vatican and Russian officials since 2021, prior to the war’s outbreak. Gallagher stated that every day of continued fighting "generates new victims... and makes future reconciliation increasingly difficult."
During a joint press conference, Gallagher emphasized the need for immediate action, saying, "Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to put an end to the conflict and look beyond it." The Vatican and Russia agreed to cooperate on humanitarian issues, particularly the care of children affected by the war.
Pope Leo had previously appealed for an end to hostilities on August 9, citing an "ever-increasing number of civilian casualties, including children." The Vatican said it would "continue to offer strong spiritual, diplomatic, and humanitarian support, contributing and offering a space for dialogue."
The meeting followed four years of war between Russia and Ukraine, with no clear resolution in sight despite international diplomatic efforts.
