Cardinal Zuppi Travels to Moscow on Peace Mission

Cardinal Zuppi is traveling to Moscow from September 28 to September 30 for a peace mission.

The Italian cardinal was originally assigned this humanitarian mission in May 2023 by Pope Francis, and the assignment was later confirmed by Pope Leo XIV. This trip marks his third visit to Russia, following previous trips on June 28 and 29, 2023, and from October 14 to 16, 2024.

Zuppi is scheduled to meet with Russian officials on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. His instructions are to support efforts regarding the exchange of prisoners, issues facing civilians resulting from the conflict, and questions concerning children. According to TASS, the parties will specifically verify if civilians forcibly displaced by Ukrainian military forces from the Kursk region have returned home.

The cardinal stated that he is examining requests from both the Russian and Ukrainian sides as part of an ongoing dialogue. He noted that the goal is to deepen this dialogue to help end the suffering caused by the war.