Archbishop Gallagher reflects on visit to Russia, meeting with foreign minister (Vatican News)

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher discussed his recent trip to Russia and his meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. During the visit, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations spoke about the Russo-Ukrainian war and the role of diplomacy in ending conflicts through negotiation and agreement.

Archbishop Gallagher stated that the Church has a duty to proclaim the possibility of peace. He explained that the Holy See does not provide technical solutions or enter the specific details of negotiations, as those are the responsibilities of the warring parties. Instead, the Holy See invites the parties to show goodwill to begin a serious dialogue. He noted that the purpose of the Moscow visit was to encourage those troubled by the war to pursue peace.

The Archbishop also met with Metropolitan Antonij of Volokolamsk, who leads the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations. Archbishop Gallagher described the meeting as encouraging and noted the devotion of Catholics in Moscow.