Originally published at The Crux
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As the war in Ukraine continues, a senior Vatican diplomat arrived in Moscow on Monday.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the second-highest ranking figure in the Holy See’s Secretariat of State, is in Moscow for a a five-day visit that will include high-level talks with both political and religious figures, as well as a meeting with the small Catholic community in the Russian capital.
Gallagher’s official title is Secretary of State for Relations with States and International Organizations. The prelate’s office is functionally analogous to that of a foreign minister.
A Kremlin spokesperson said there is no scheduled meeting between Gallagher and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Gallagher is set to meet Tuesday with his counterpart, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
Military spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Tuesday’s meeting with Lavrov “will include an exchange of views on the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation between Russia and the Vatican, as well as interaction at multilateral forums.”
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is expected to loom large over the meeting.
Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV renewed his appeal for an end to the conflict, saying he stands “with the families of the victims, the injured, and all those suffering,” and
