FILE PHOTO: Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Francis’ envoy and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), leads a mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow, Russia June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/
ROME — Pope Francis’ peace envoy for Ukraine, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, said on Tuesday he is working on a “mechanism” that could ensure the return of children who according to Kyiv have been abducted to Russia.
“We’ll see how we can start the mechanism for the children (and) help as we have said on the humanitarian front, particularly the children that must be able to return to Ukraine”, Zuppi said at a book presentation in Rome.
He said he had personally discussed the issue with Francis.
The Italian cardinal visited Moscow last week, and was previously in the Ukrainian capital. The Vatican has described his efforts as “aimed at identifying humanitarian initiatives, which could open roads to peace”.
Speaking to Italian public broadcaster RAI on Sunday, Zuppi clarified he was not working on a “peace plan” or a “mediation” between Kyiv and Moscow, saying he was focusing on “humanitarian aspects”.