Pope to discuss Ukrainian crisis with Putin

The situation in Ukraine may be one of the main topics that Vladimir Putin and Pope Francis will discuss. The Russian President will pay a visit to Milan and Rome on June 10. He will also visit the Vatican.

The bilateral relations and international problems including the situation in Ukraine ‘highlighting the interconfessional relations and the activities of Ukrainian Catholics’ will be discussed at the meeting with the pontiff, TASS refers to  the Russian President’s aide Yuriy Ushakov. They will also discuss the state of Christians in the Middle East and the necessity of protecting their interests.

The Russian President’s aide does not know whether the pontiff’s visit to Russia is going to be discussed as this is a matter of both state and religious relations.

It will be Vladimir Putin’s second meeting with Pope Francis. They first met in November 2013.

Photo: TASS