Bid to broker peace

Vatican City – Pope Francis said yesterday he has requested a meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war but has heard nothing back.

The 85 year old told Italy’s Corriere Della Sera newspaper that he had sent a message to Putin about 20 days into the conflict saying “that I was willing to go to Moscow”.

“We have not yet received a response and we are still insisting, though I fear that Putin cannot, and does not, want to have this meeting at this time,” he said.

The pope has repeatedly called for peace in Ukraine and denounced a “cruel and senseless war” but without ever mentioning Putin or Moscow by name.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church also said he would not be travelling to Ukraine anytime soon.