Russia acknowledges Vatican peace initiative, says no steps yet for a mission to Moscow

By PAOLO SANTALUCIA and NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Russia has indicated it views Pope Francis’ Ukraine peace initiative positively. That, while stressing that there were no immediate plans for a Vatican mission to Moscow.The statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry to the state RIA Novosti agency was the first public acknowledgment by Moscow of the pope’s initiative. It followed the weekend announcement that a veteran of the Catholic Church’s peace mediation initiatives, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, had been tapped by Francis as his envoy. Zuppi spoke to reporters Thursday and said the approach he would use in Ukraine was similar to the one he adopted in the mediation of the peace talks to end Mozambique’s civil war.