After visiting Hungary
“A mission is currently underway that is not yet public”: Pope hints at peace mission in Ukraine
Pope Francis during a press conference on board the plane bound for Rome, at the end of his pastoral visit to Hungary
© Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/AP/DPA
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Pope has repeatedly offered to mediate. Great diplomatic successes are still a long way off – but maybe not for long?
Pope Francis has vaguely indicated that the Vatican is involved in a peace initiative in view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. “Everyone wants a way to peace. I’m ready to do whatever is necessary. A mission is currently underway, but it’s not public yet,” said the head of the Catholic Church on Sunday on the return flight from his trip to Hungary journalists. He did not give any further details. “When the time comes, I can comment on it,” he said.
The 86-year-old met Metropolitan Hilarion of Budapest and Hungary over the weekend, who used to be the head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s foreign office and a confidant of Patriarch Kirill. “You can imagine that at the meeting we didn’t talk about Little Red Riding Hood, but about everything,” explained Francis. The Pope has long wanted to meet with Cyril, who defends Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.
Francis campaigned to maintain diplomatic relations and always keep in touch in order to look for ways to peace together. “I think you get peace by opening channels. You never get peace by closing yourself off.”
Since the war began in February 2022, the Holy See has repeatedly offered to mediate. So far, however, there have been no major diplomatic successes. The Pope said the Holy See has acted as an intermediary in prisoner exchanges and may do the same in connection with the repatriation of Ukrainian children who have been kidnapped to Russia.