Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, head of Vatican diplomacy, is to visit Moscow on August 25-28. In the background there are talks of war in Ukraine, possible mission of the cardinals. Matteo Zuppie and the appointment of a fresh Catholic archbishop in Russia. For Poland it is simply a signal: Vatican plays patient diplomacy, but Moscow will usage all symbol.
Visit to Moscow and Vatican Canal
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary of the Holy See for Relations with States and global Organizations, is to be present in Moscow from August 25 to 28. Dates confirmed Bishop Nikolai Dubin, admin of the Catholic Archdiocese of Our woman in Moscow, which stated the service of Faith.pl behind KAI. It's not just a courtesy. The visit takes place erstwhile the Holy See seeks ways to talk about the war in Ukraine, and the Kremlin continues to impose its own language of force on the world.
The Vatican carries out diplomacy differently than governments. Quiet, slower, through channels that can be uncomfortable for worldly politics. Catholic tradition knows the meaning of the conversation even with the opponent. National realism, however, makes us remember that Moscow treats all motion as an component of the game for designation and influence.
Zuppi, prisoners and second mission
According to media reports, 1 of the topics of the talks may be to prepare another card trip. Matteo Zuppie, peculiar envoy of the Pope for Ukraine. The Cardinal was in Kiev in July and met with Russian prisoners of war. Russian spiritual student Alexey Judin estimated that a akin humanitarian component could besides appear on a possible visit to Russia.
It's an crucial detail. In the diplomacy of the Holy See, humanitarian matters frequently open doors that politics cannot open alone. Prisoners, families, children, exchange of information, respect for humanitarian law: these are areas where the Church can operate without pretending to become another war camp. Before we wrote how The time of change in the Vatican arranged the mechanisms of power after the Pope's death. Today, the same Vatican checks whether it inactive has real access to Russian doors.
Moscow reads symbols in its own way
Interia, citing Russian Niezawisima Gazieta, points out that Gallagher is to research the atmosphere before Zuppi's possible visit and the position of the Russian authorities and the Moscow Patriarchate before the appointment of a fresh Catholic archbishop in Moscow. By Interia relations The Russian paper besides recalled the refusal to talk to the papal mission about the political aspects of resolving the conflict in 2023.
It sounds acquainted to Poland. The Kremlin is eager to talk about what it can present as humanitarianism, and avoids what affects the work for aggression. In this sense, a Catholic presence in Moscow is needed, but it must be sober. If a conversation is to aid people, it is worth it. If it is to be adorned with Russian communicative about normalization, you must look at Moscow's hands.
Polish perspective: peace without naivety
The Polish national interest requires 2 things at once: peace in the east and opposition to Russian delusions. Peace cannot mean the aggressor's bonus, and humanitarianism cannot cover the fact that the war is ongoing due to the fact that Russia started and sustains it. We besides wrote about Russian war logic erstwhile we wrote about how Russia numbers abroad mercenaries. This country understands the language of pressure, cost and patiently built advantage.
The Church has the right and the work to search space to save people. The Polish right should not confuse this with naivety. There is simply a circumstantial stake for us: border security, the future of the region and whether Central Europe will be the subject of another people's talks or the subject of their own policies. The Vatican can talk. Poland must guarantee that the conversation does not replace the fact about aggression.
Source: Kresy.pl, KAI/Wiara.pl, Interia, ANSA behind Niezawisim Gazieta.
