Vatican Envoy Meets Russian Foreign Minister to Urge Peace

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretary of State for Relations with States and International Organizations, arrived in Moscow on August 24 for a five-day diplomatic mission. On August 25, Gallagher met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the first in-person talks between Vatican and Russian officials in five years. During a joint press conference, Gallagher urged an end to the war in Ukraine, stating it is "urgent and necessary to end and to look beyond the conflict."

Gallagher and Lavrov agreed to cooperate on humanitarian issues, specifically the care of children impacted by the war. While the Vatican seeks to facilitate dialogue, Russian officials indicated that President Vladimir Putin has no scheduled meeting with Gallagher. Lavrov has recently rejected the possibility of negotiating with Western countries, claiming there is no one to negotiate with in today's Europe.

This diplomatic push occurs under Pope Leo XIV, who has sought to reposition the Holy See as an international arbiter. The Vatican has reportedly coordinated with Italy, Hungary, and Bulgaria to prevent the European Union from sanctioning Patriarch Kirill to maintain a communication channel with Moscow. Beyond the conflict, the Holy See aims to protect Vatican assets from Western financial regulators and secure influence in Central Europe to counter demographic decline in the West.