WHEN Pope Francis met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vatican City on June 10, the ongoing crisis in eastern Ukraine was the main topic of their conversation and was a concern for many others as well.
Mr Putin arrived more than an hour late, beating the 45-minute tardiness he chalked up in November 2013, the last time he visited the Pope.
Pope Francis and Mr Putin spoke privately, aided by interpreters, for 50 minutes before the Russian President introduced the members of his entourage, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“The meeting was dedicated principally to the conflict in Ukraine and to the situation in the Middle East,” Holy See spokesman Jesuit Father Federico said.
“The Holy Father affirmed the need for a commitment to a sincere and serious effort to reach peace and there was agreement on the importance of restoring a climate of dialogue” and on adhering to the promises made in the cease-fire agreement, Fr Lombardi said.
The “serious humanitarian situation” in eastern Ukraine also was discussed, the spokesman said, as was the need to assure humanitarian workers had access to the region.
Dozens of Ukrainians attended the Pope’s general audience earlier in the morning, waving blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags and holding up a sign saying, “Holy Father, Pray for Ukraine”.
In March 2014, Russia annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine and about a month later fighting began along Ukraine’s eastern border with Russia.
Although Mr Putin denied it, there were widespread reports Russia not only was supporting separatists in the region, but that Russian troops had crossed into Ukraine.
Hostilities reportedly have eased since an internationally mediated cease-fire agreement was signed in mid-February, but the fighting has not stopped.
Fr Lombardi said the Pope and Mr Putin also spoke about the continuing crises in the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Iraq, and the need for the international community to find ways to promote peace and protect “all components of society, including religious minorities, especially Christians”.
Exchanging gifts, Mr Putin gave Pope Francis a cushion embroidered with gold thread; the design was of Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which Mr Putin explained had been “destroyed in the Soviet era”, but had been rebuilt.
Pope Francis gave Putin a medallion of the “Angel of Peace’, who,” he said, “defeats all wars and speaks of solidarity among peoples”.
The Pope also gave the Russian President a copy of the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), which the Pope said, “has many religious, human, geo-political and social reflections”.
CNS
