Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations (the “foreign minister” of the Holy See), was in Moscow from August 24–28, 2026. His visit is the first high-ranking papal diplomat to visit Russia since Russia’s military action against Ukraine began in February 2022.
The Holy See has been engaged in diplomatic activity with Russia regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict for some time, primarily through the person of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who is also President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference and Archbishop of Bologna. He had a mission in June 2023, and again in October 2024, in which he visited Moscow, met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and others regarding primarily humanitarian concerns—visiting POWs, reunited children with their families, and so forth. He was also in Ukraine in July 2026.
The Archbishop met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday, August 25; with Yury Ushakov, foreign policy advisor to Vladimir Putin; and also with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, the Moscow Patriarchate’s head of external relations, according to Aleteia magazine.
During a press conference with Lavrov, Gallagher said, “This war must end,” and lamented that “the conflict continues to expand” and that “the number of victims continues to grow,” reported Aleteia. Both belligerents have spent months intensifying their long-range strikes. “The longer the conflict continues, the more difficult it will be to arrive at an adequate resolution,” he emphasized.
