Vatican Peacekeeping Mission Completes Beijing Phase

After visiting Kiev, Moscow, and Washington DC over the past three months, the Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Pope Francis’ envoy Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi on a peacekeeping mission was received at the Chinese Foreign Ministry by High Representative for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui, who in June, in his turn, visited Ukraine to present to President Zelensky the Chinese program aimed at “putting an end” to the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict.

Kiev rejected the Chinese proposals, which led to tension in bilateral relations.

At the talks in Beijing, Zuppi confirmed to his Chinese interlocutor “the need to join forces to encourage dialogue.” Unlike previous international meetings, this time Cardinal Zuppi also raised the delicate issue of “restoring the Ukrainian Black Sea grain agreement” and expressed the hope that “grain exports can be guaranteed in favor of countries at risk.”

According to a brief note released by the Holy See, “the meeting took place in an open and cordial atmosphere and focused on the war in Ukraine and its dramatic consequences. The need to join forces to encourage dialogue and find paths that lead to peace was emphasized.”