Pope sends envoy to Ukraine for ‘peace mission’

Italian cardinal Matteo Zuppi, tasked by Pope Francis to carry out a ‘peace mission’ to seek an end for the war in Ukraine, will visit Kyiv on Monday and Tuesday, Reuters reports.

In a short statement, the Vatican said the main purpose of Mr Zuppi’s visit is "to listen carefully to Ukrainian authorities on the possible ways to reach a just peace and support humanitarian gestures that may help ease tensions".

Kyiv has not confirmed the visit, and it remains unclear whether the Italian cardinal will meet with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Pope Francis first announced his ‘peace mission’ late in April in an effort to end Russia's war against Ukraine.

During his visit to Rome in May, however, Mr Zelenskyy asked the Pope to support Ukraine’s peace plan.

A number of countries have offered to mediate between Ukraine and Russia in an attempt to bring closer the end of the full-scale war, which has become one of the greatest challenges to global security.

China put forward its set of principles aimed at ironing out differences between Kyiv and Moscow in February, and recently sent an envoy to European countries, including Ukraine and Russia.