Pope Francis ready to go to Moscow & meet Putin to settle war against Ukraine

On May 3, Pope Francis claimed that he sought a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to end the Ukrainian conflict, adding that he has yet to receive a response. The pontiff also told Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper on Tuesday that Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill, who has backed the war wholeheartedly, "cannot become Putin's altar boy."

Pope Francis, who earlier paid an unprecedented visit to the Russian embassy when the war broke out, told the daily that he urged the Vatican's top diplomat to send a message to Putin around three weeks into the fight. The message, he said, was that "I was willing to go to Moscow. Certainly, it was necessary for the Russian leader to allow an opening. We have not yet received a response and we are still insisting."

The pontiff continued, "I fear that Putin cannot, and does not, want to have this meeting at this time. But how can you not stop so much brutality?"

Notably, prior to the interview, Francis, 85, had not publicly mentioned Russia or Putin since the onset of the conflict on February 24. However, he has made it clear who he is criticising, using terms like unjustified aggression and invasion, as well as lamenting atrocities against civilians.

Putin yet to respond to Pope's call for meeting

As mentioned earlier, Vladimir Putin has yet to respond to Pope Francis' call for a meeting in Moscow to discuss the war in Ukraine. The summit, according to the pontiff, will be held in an attempt to end the crisis, which began in late February when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. 

Pope Francis characterised the conflict in Ukraine as a "macabre retreat of humanity" and said that Mariupol had been "barbarously attacked and destroyed" on Sunday. He said his "thoughts go immediately to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the city of Mary, barbarously bombarded and destroyed" in a 15-minute speech to people gathered in Saint Peter's Square.

The Russia-Ukraine war entered day 69 on Monday, with explosions still being recorded in several Ukrainian cities. After being trapped for several days in the besieged city of Mariupol, embattled Ukrainian President Zelenksyy announced on Sunday that approximately 100 civilians had been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant.