After a stop in Kiev earlier this month, the mission of Matteo Maria Zuppi, president of CEI (episcopal conference of Italy) and archbishop of Bologna, as the pope’s envoy to “ease tensions” over the war in Ukraine and find possible avenues for dialogue that would open glimmers of hope for a conclusion to the conflict, continues. He will be accompanied to the Russian capital by an official from the Secretariat of State. “The goal is to encourage gestures of humanity, which can help foster a solution to the current tragic situation,” the Holy See said.
On June 28 and 29 Cardinal Zuppi will be in Russia, where last Saturday, June 24, there were tensions that raised fears of civil war. Last June 5 and 6 Zuppi met in Kiev with Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky.
The mission of the president of the Italian bishops, a past mediator for Mozambique’s agreements with the Community of Sant’Egidio, is viewed with “interest and expectation” by the Russian government, as stated days ago by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, and has the full support of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, which is accompanying the sending of its president to Moscow with prayer.
Monsignor Giuseppe Baturi, archbishop of Cagliari and secretary general of the CEI, said, “We hope that this new initiative can contribute to the achievement of a just peace.”
Source:
https://www.vaticannews.va/it/papa/news/2023-06/zuppi-missione-mosca-pace-guerra-inviato-p apa.html