Cardinal Zuppi to visit Moscow Sept 28-30 for humanitarian talks

September 27, 2026 at 06:25 PM2 min

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Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Leo XIV's special envoy, will visit Moscow from September 28 to 30 to discuss humanitarian issues stemming from Russia's war in Ukraine. He is scheduled to meet with Russian officials on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The visit continues a Vatican humanitarian mission focused on children, prisoner exchanges, and civilian problems caused by the conflict.

Key Facts

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian Bishops' Conference, will travel to Moscow on September 27 for meetings from September 28 to 30.
Zuppi said the visit is part of a humanitarian mission first entrusted by Pope Francis and confirmed by Pope Leo XIV.
The cardinal previously visited Moscow in June 2023 and October 2024 as special envoy for peace in Ukraine.
In August 2026, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher visited Moscow and met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Pope Leo XIV met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky three times, most recently on July 9, 2026.

Mission Details

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi announced his departure to TASS on Sunday, September 27. Meetings with Russian authorities are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Zuppi stated he was instructed to support efforts on children's issues, prisoner exchanges, and civilian problems arising from the conflict. The humanitarian mission was first assigned by Pope Francis and later confirmed by Pope Leo XIV.

Vatican Peace Efforts

Pope Leo XIV met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in December 2025 and stressed the need for continued dialogue and a just and lasting peace. The first meeting between Leo XIV and Zelensky took place on May 18, 2026, during the pope's inauguration. On July 9, 2026, the pope received Zelensky outside protocol at Castel Gandolfo and reaffirmed readiness to provide a platform for peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. In August 2026, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher became the first Vatican foreign minister to visit Moscow since the start of the war in Ukraine.