Leo XIV to meet with "diplomat" of the Moscow Patriarchate – ANSA

Pope Leo XIV plans to meet with the head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony. This was announced... reports ANSA.

The audience is scheduled for July 26th at the Vatican.

The Pope reportedly intends to resume dialogue with the Moscow Patriarchate after tensions caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Previously, Leo XIV and Anthony met at the funeral of Pope Francis, where the head of the "diplomatic department" of the Russian Orthodox Church was present as a representative of Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The previous Pope, Francis, also met with Antony, including in August 2022 and May 2023.

Leo XIV condemns Russian aggression and has repeatedly spoken out in support of Ukraine.

• In May, after a meeting in Istanbul that did not bring significant progress in the negotiations, the Pope... proposed the Vatican as a negotiation venue for Kyiv and MoscowForeign Minister Sybega announced that Ukraine is considering this location for a new meeting, however, the head of Kremlin diplomacy, Lavrov, indirectly rejected this idea. allegedly, holding negotiations in the Vatican is "inelegant".
• In July, Zelenskyy met with the Pope, and the pontiff again confirmed the Vatican's readiness to host talks between Kyiv and Moscow.