Pope Francis "Hopes to Visit Russia as Well When Going to Ukraine"

Expressed Intent in Interview with Argentine Media

Pope Francis has expressed his intention to visit Russia when he visits Ukraine.

On the 11th (local time), in an interview with Argentine media outlet 'La Naci?n,' the Pope said, "I want to go to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on the condition that I also go to Moscow," adding, "If I do not go to both cities together, I will not go to either."

Regarding the Ukraine war, he also emphasized, "It pains me," and "It can only end through dialogue and peace initiatives."

Pope Francis visiting Cyprus in December last year [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, the Pope had tried to visit Russia at the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war last year, but it did not materialize. According to the Pope, this was because Sergey Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister, rejected the Pope's intention to visit Moscow at that time.

Meanwhile, during his 10-year reign, the Pope has visited a total of 60 countries. He will mark his 10th anniversary on the 13th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.