WORLD NEWS | Vatican: Pope Francis appoints cardinal to pave ‘path to peace’ for Ukraine

ROME, May 21 (AP) Pope Francis has assigned a leading Italian cardinal a mission that he hopes will “de-escalate tensions” in the war in Ukraine and move toward peace, the Vatican said Saturday. road.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a brief written statement that Francis had entrusted the task to Cardinal Matteo Zupi, who is close to the pope.

Read also | Pakistani trans activists appeal Sharia court ruling.

The timeline and mechanics of the mission are “currently being worked on,” Bruni said.

Just a week ago, Francis held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican. Asked about their meeting afterwards, Zelensky said he did not think any mediation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, was possible.

Read also | The shark hit the Florida Keys, biting the fisherman who reeled it in, sending him to hospital.

Francis told reporters on a flight back to Rome from a pilgrimage in Hungary in late April that the Vatican was involved in some kind of peace mission, but declined to give details.

“I can confirm that Pope Francis has entrusted Matteo Zupi, Cardinal, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Synod of Italian Bishops, with a mandate agreed with the (Vatican) Secretariat of State that will contribute to the de-escalation of the conflict. In the tense situation in Ukraine, the Holy Father never gave up hope that this could open the way to peace,” Bruni said.

“When and how such a mission could be carried out is currently being studied,” the spokesman said.

Earlier this week, an Italian website focused on Vatican issues said the Pope had appointed a personal envoy to hold talks with Zelensky and Putin in hopes of brokering a ceasefire.

The Vatican’s brief statement Saturday night made no mention of Russia.

Francis has repeatedly condemned the war, warning against the massing of arms in the conflict and praying for the suffering Ukrainian people. In his many comments on the war, he generally avoided blaming Putin.

The pope has said he would travel to the Ukrainian capital Kiev if the pilgrimage helps bring peace, but said that would only be possible if he could also visit Moscow. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)