Cardinal Zuppi in Russia: Strengthen and speed up checks to reunite families

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi’s third mission to Moscow ended on Wednesday, 30 September, following his previous visits in June 2023 and October 2024.

The Holy Father’s special envoy for humanitarian issues and President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference visited Ukraine last July, where he also toured camps holding Russian prisoners of war in the Lviv region.

On Wednesday, the Cardinal visited a camp holding Ukrainian prisoners of war. He spoke with them, conveyed Pope Leo XIV’s closeness, and expressed the hope that they would soon be able to return home.

Archbishop Giovanni d’Aniello, Apostolic Nuncio to Moscow, accompanied the Cardinal throughout the three-day visit.

Cardinal Zuppi met Yuri Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy adviser. Their talks focused on military and civilian prisoners, the search for missing persons, family reunification, and the repatriation of children.

The Cardinal also met the Russian Federation’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Yana Lantratova, who thanked him “for his constructive approach”, and Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.

“We need to strengthen and speed up the checks needed to ensure that families can be reunited,” Cardinal Zuppi said.