The Vatican has publicly refuted reports suggesting Pope Francis is arranging a visit to Moscow to mediate in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Holy See’s press office director, Matteo Bruni, clarified these reports do “not correspond to the truth,” debunking speculation of the Pope’s anticipated travel to Russia.
The rumor mill started churning when Intelligence Online, a French publication, alleged that Pope Francis had agreed to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow come June. However, the Vatican’s firm denial shows the inaccuracy of these reports, leaving the Catholic community questioning their origin.
The Kremlin has remained notably silent on the matter, offering no comments to either confirm or deny the speculated visit. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Putin, maintained diplomatic silence, saying, “We can’t comment at all yet.”
Pope Francis has not shied away from expressing his willingness to mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in the past.
In a gesture of goodwill and hope for resolution, he has repeatedly offered the Vatican’s mediation services. Despite the swirling rumors and the Vatican’s subsequent refutations, Pope Francis’s commitment to peace remains evident and he maintains that “war is always a defeat.”
Pray for peace!
🙏
Photo credit: www.kremlin.ru CC BY 4.0 DEED via Wikimedia Commons
