Story perspectives

Vatican’s Gallagher meets Lavrov, urges Ukraine war end

8/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

Archbishop Paul Gallagher met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, urging an end to the Ukraine war.
The meeting was the first in-person Vatican-Russia dialogue in five years.
Gallagher said the four-year conflict creates new victims and hinders future reconciliation.
He and Lavrov agreed to cooperate on humanitarian aid for children affected by the war.

History

Historical Context

In 1990 Holy See and the Soviet Union formally established diplomatic ties, ending a decades-long rupture dating back to 19th-century agreements. After the USSR’s collapse, Russia and the Vatican upgraded relations to full embassy exchange in December 2009 following Pope Benedict XVI’s meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev. The current dialogue between Archbishop Paul Gallagher and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov builds on that foundation amid Ukraine war.

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Story summary

Archbishop Paul Gallagher met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, urging an end to the Ukraine war.
The meeting was the first in-person Vatican-Russia dialogue in five years.
Gallagher said the four-year conflict creates new victims and hinders future reconciliation.
He and Lavrov agreed to cooperate on humanitarian aid for children affected by the war.

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