“For peace in Ukraine I have a realistic hope, in the sense that we must continue to offer channels for peace through mediation and good offices, but it does not seem to me that there are currently great prospects that these offers will be accepted,” Parolin said at a public meeting.
“The whole world is concerned about this war, and the entire international community must continue to offer prospects for peace,” he continued.
“Then there are also the specific initiatives such as those of the Holy See, which from the beginning has offered its availability to mediate,” Parolin said.
Earlier this month archbishop of Bologna and head of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, was tasked by the pope with going on a two-day mission to Kyiv in order “to listen in depth to the Ukrainian authorities about possible ways to achieve a just peace and support gestures of humanity that will help ease tensions”, according to a statement from the Holy See.
Following his return, Zuppi said his peace mission in favour of Ukraine “will continue as planned” with a possible second stage in Moscow, but that he first needed to talk to Pope Francis, who was recovering from abdominal surgery at the time.
ANSA
