Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s second-highest-ranking diplomatic official, called for an end to the war in Ukraine after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Tuesday.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Lavrov, Gallagher said that prolonging the war was creating new victims and making the possibility of future reconciliation increasingly difficult. He said the conflict must end and that attention must turn to the postwar period, describing this as urgent and necessary.
Message of peace and humanitarian cooperation from Moscow
Gallagher said he and Lavrov had discussed ways to achieve peace in Ukraine. He said the two sides had agreed to cooperate on humanitarian issues, including the care of children affected by the war.
Archbishop Gallagher also visited Moscow and met with Lavrov in 2021, before the war in Ukraine began. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Vatican calls for dialogue to continue
Pope Leo reiterated his calls for an end to the conflict in Ukraine. In a statement this month, the pope expressed sadness that the number of civilian victims, including children, was continuing to rise because of the war.
Gallagher said the Vatican would continue providing strong spiritual, diplomatic and humanitarian support to help end the conflict. He said the Vatican would continue contributing to dialogue and creating space for dialogue to take place.