‘Sincere’ effort needed for peace in Ukraine: Pope
But Vatican official refrains from criticizing Putin for Russia’s actions
Pope Francis met privately with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vatican on Wednesday, using the talks to call for a sincere effort aimed at bringing peace to Ukraine.
Rev. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, said that their talks concentrated on the Ukraine conflict and the Middle East, where the Holy See is worried about the fate of the Christian minority.
Putin earlier Wednesday met Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in Milan and arrived an hour late to the meeting at the Vatican — his second with Francis since he became pope in 2013.
Lombardi said Francis stressed the need “to commit oneself in a sincere and great effort to bring” peace to Ukraine, through dialogue and implementation of the Minsk peace accord.
Francis also urged access for humanitarian aid.
The United States, using diplomatic channels, had encouraged the Vatican to use the private papal audience as an occasion to join the West in condemning Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth Hackett, said the U.S. would like to see the Vatican increase its concern about what is happening in Ukraine during the Pope’s meeting with Putin.
“We think they could say something more about concern of territorial integrity, those types of issues,” Hackett told reporters. “It does seem that Russia is supporting the insurgents. And it does seem that there are Russian troops inside Ukraine. This is a very serious situation.”
Earlier Wednesday, however, Pu- tin won lavish praise from Renzi as a crucial player in international anti-terrorism efforts, as Renzi sought the Russian president’s help in ending the conflict in Libya that has fuelled the Mediterranean migrant crisis.
Renzi greeted Putin as Russia’s “dear” president and didn’t voice any criticism against the country’s actions in Ukraine, saying simply that they both agreed there must be full implementation of the Minsk peace accord.
Both Putin and Renzi spoke confidently of moving forward after the eventual full implementation of the Minsk accord.
Renzi praised Russia for being “in the front row in facing the global threats we are all facing.”
Citing Russia’s role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, he said Italy “needs Russia’s help on the Libyan question.” Renzi didn’t give specifics on what he hoped Russia might do on Libya.
People-smugglers have been flourishing and rival Libyan governments and tribal and militia fighting so far have combined to thwart Italy’s calls for reconciliation and pacification as a way to combat the smuggling.
While the Pope has deplored the loss of life in Ukraine and called for all sides to respect the ceasefire, he has not publicly placed any blame on Russia in an apparent bid to not upset Vatican relations with the Orthodox Church and in hopes of engaging Russia’s help to confront the persecution of Christians in the Middle East.
Hackett, the U.S. ambassador, noted that Putin had spoken about the plight of Christians and that was clearly an area of concern for the Vatican.
“I’d like to see if he’s got a proposal,” he said of Putin.
A ceasefire agreement for Ukraine has been shaky. The heaviest fighting in months broke out in recent days between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.