Since yesterday there were strong rumors in Vatican circles about the start of the mission, but the utmost discretion and understandable reserve were maintained given the delicacy of the initiative strongly desired by the Pope.
In fact, the official confirmation came this morning with a statement from the Holy See Press Office announcing that the Italian cardinal Matteo Zuppito whom Francis has entrusted the important initiative, will be in kyiv today and tomorrow.
The announced purpose of the visit is “listen in depth to the Ukrainian authorities on the possible paths to achieve a just peace and support gestures of humanity that contribute to easing tensions”was explained in the note.
Although the arrival of the Vatican envoy to Kiev is viewed with skepticism, in a mission that many see as complicated 468 days after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the risk of this large-scale conflict getting out of hand is always latent. .
“Creating a different atmosphere”: this is the difficult but not impossible mission that Bergoglio has undertaken in search of ending a war at the gates of Europe that is projected to be long and exhausting. In addition, due to the strong dialectical opposition between the actors in the conflict that seems endless, and that moves more and more with military incursions that cross borders, the Pope has been working for months requesting peace through diplomacy and dialogue.
Possible meeting with Zelensky but not with Putin
In this context, it is taken almost as a given that the Pope’s envoy, Cardinal Zuppi, will meet with Volodimir Zelensky.
I find that -if it occurs- it will be conditioned by the ten points that the Prime Minister of Ukraine already on May 13, during his visit to the Holy See, He raised the Pontiff by opening on the meeting table a notebook that he carried with him and that so much “irritated” Vatican diplomacy.
It is that Zelensky’s rejection of the Pope’s mediation in search of peace did not go down well, Francis’ statements “we will continue to destroy all hope by sending arms” do not please the Ukrainian president.
In addition, the very eloquent words that confirm Bergoglio’s will to continue on his way to end the war, despite Zelensky’s clear closing of the door to any possible mediation, not only from the Vatican, but with Russia, are contrary to the support that the President of Ukraine continually asks the European Union to send arms and economic aid.
Meanwhile, from Moscow, the Kremlin spokesman, Dimitri Peskovreported today through the official Tass news agency that Putin had no meeting with Cardinal Zuppi on his agenda at the moment, a statement that puts a barrier to the Holy See’s mission with the Russian president, although it is expected occur at a later stage of the mission.
The one chosen for the mission
Already at the end of last month the Vatican Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, had confirmed that the Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, 67 years old and president of the CEI – Italian Episcopal Conference – was the delegate that the Pope had chosen to mediate and try to find a channel of dialogue not only in the Ukrainian capital but also in Moscow.
Zuppi was not randomly chosen by Francisco but rather has a long experience in this field with important results achieved, for example in Mozambique on behalf of the Community of Sant’Egidio.
However, Zuppi’s trip falls within the specific scope of the mission announced by the Holy See, which explicitly aims to create the conditions for a slowdown in tensions and a sign of the Pope’s closeness to the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
There are not many details about the nature of the “reserved visit” that the president of the CEI will carry out these two days in Kiev and it is not known with certainty who he will meet with, but he has the support of the apostolic nuncio in Ukraine, Monsignor Visvaldas Kulbokas .
Full diplomacy: from Lula to Orban
But there is not only this mission. The Pope is also moving to seek solutions on the path of peace with other rulers. In particular, there is talk of a possible dialogue with the president Lula Da Silva. Both should meet in the Vatican on June 21 for a meeting that would have peace in Ukraine on the agenda.
Lula has already used clear words on the Ukrainian question, inviting the United States not to “foment war” and calling for the constitution of a group of countries capable of mediating between the two parties in conflict, while ruling out, for the moment, his visit to Moscow.
Papa Lula.jpg
telam
Previously, the Pope had also spoken with the Hungarian president, Victor Orbánboth in the Vatican and during his apostolic visit to Hungary.
Both Lula and Orban have positions that are far from the prevailing line in Europe. In this sense, Francisco repeatedly denounced the business of commerce that exists behind the war, in addition to making it clear that “with weapons security and stability will never be achieved, but, on the contrary, even any hope of peace.”
Source: Ambito
