The Meeting of the Pope with Metropolitan Anthony
Pope Leo XIV met with Metropolitan Anthony, a high-ranking cleric of the Russian Orthodox Church. This was reported by the portal «Glavkom» referring to Reuters.
It is noted that the meeting took place in an attempt to ease relations between the churches, which are currently strained due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Vatican's message states that the Pontiff held a meeting with the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Anthony, and five other high-ranking officials during the morning audience. No further details were provided.
The Vatican's Position and Russia's Reaction to Pope Leo XIV's Proposals
The publication reports that earlier Pope Leo XIV told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who visited the Vatican, that the Vatican is ready to organize peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. However, Russian representatives rejected the idea of negotiations in the Vatican, arguing that this venue is not serious, since Italy, a NATO member supporting Ukraine, has close ties with the Vatican.
During his first phone call with Vladimir Putin in early June, Pope Leo XIV called on Russia to take steps towards resolving the conflict. However, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, expressed support for the invasion of Ukraine.
Interestingly, the Vatican is actively engaging in diplomatic processes, trying to ease the situation between Russia and Ukraine, although Russia's reaction seems skeptical. In trying to find a peaceful way to resolve the conflict, the Pope is aware of the importance of diplomacy and interfaith dialogue.