Zelenskyy Aide's Lays Down Conditions To Vatican Even Before Meditation Mission Starts

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak on Saturday put forward a number of conditions to the Holy See's future peace mission, insisting that it must conform to Kiev's viewpoint on the withdrawal of Russian troops

ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2023) Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak on Saturday put forward a number of conditions to the Holy See's future peace mission, insisting that it must conform to Kiev's viewpoint on the withdrawal of Russian troops.

"If the Holy See has a different point of view, unfortunately, it will only exacerbate the crisis and provoke further aggressive actions by Russia," Podolyak told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Podolyak said that Kiev would support the pope's peace initiative only if the Vatican promoted the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory, as well as helped to return Ukrainian military prisoners, "civilian prisoners" and children. He stressed that settlement efforts should be based on territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Earlier in May, Pope Francis entrusted Cardinal Matteo Zuppi with the task of leading a mission to help ease tensions in Ukraine and "initiate paths of peace.

" Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said that Zuppi's mission would first have to try to create an environment conducive to peace.

Zuppi refrained from disclosing any details, saying that it was the pope's prerogative and would take place at a later time. He also said that it was too early to talk about the dates of Zuppi's possible visits to Moscow and Kiev, but specified that both capitals have been informed about the Vatican's peace initiative in confidence.

The Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that Moscow was aware of the pope's initiative to send an envoy to Russia as part of the peace initiative on Ukraine. It also said that Russia was supportive of the attempt but has so far seen no concrete steps on the Vatican's end.