The Pope's envoy says Moscow visit focused on humanitarian issues and not peace plan

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi met Putin adviser and the head of Moscow's Orthodox Church

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Pope's envoy, speaks to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in Moscow. EPA

Papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi said on Sunday his mission to Moscow on Ukraine war was focused on humanitarian issues and had not involved any discussions of a peace plan.

Pope Francis in May asked Mr Zuppi, head of the Italian bishops' conference, to carry out a peace mission to try to help end the war in Ukraine.

Mr Zuppi met one of President Vladimir Putin's advisers, Yuri Ushakov, and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, in Moscow this week. Earlier in June, he also visited Kyiv for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

All the meetings “were important, especially in humanitarian aspects, which are what we have focused on”, he said.

“There is not a peace plan, not a mediation,” Mr Zuppi told state broadcaster RAI.

“There is a big aspiration that the violence will end and that human life can be preserved, starting with the protection of the little ones.”

He would meet Pope Francis in the coming days to discuss the outcome of the meetings he had held, he added.

Speaking to a religious delegation from the Patriarch of Constantinople on Friday, Pope Francis said there was no apparent end in sight to the war in Ukraine as his peace envoy wrapped up three days of talks.

On the same day, the Vatican said the visit was “aimed at identifying humanitarian initiatives, which could open roads to peace”.

The Pope has called repeatedly for an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has destroyed Ukrainian villages and towns, caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and driven millions more from their homes.

During his Sunday blessing, the Pope called on pilgrims to keep praying for peace, “even during summertime and especially for Ukrainian people”.