Pope's peace envoy arrives in Moscow

The head of the Vatican's foreign ministry, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, arrived in Moscow on June 30, 2023, to meet with Russian officials in an attempt to mediate a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Parolin is the highest-ranking Vatican official to visit Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine. He is expected to meet with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other Russian officials.

The Vatican has been working to mediate a ceasefire in Ukraine since the start of the war. Pope Francis has called for an end to the violence on several occasions, and he has sent several envoys to meet with both Russian and Ukrainian officials.

The arrival of Parolin in Moscow is a sign that the Vatican is continuing its efforts to mediate a ceasefire. However, it is unclear whether Parolin will be able to make any progress in his talks with Russian officials.