CWN - Cardinal Pietro Parolin reviewed his visit to Moscow, and his conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, in an interview with Vatican Radio.
The Vatican Secretary of State revealed that he had given a full briefing on the visit to Pope Francis immediately upon his return to Rome. The Pontiff “was pleased with the impressions and positive results” of the trip, he said.
Cardinal Parolin said that in his conversation with Patriarch Kirill, the focus was primarily on cooperation between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. “Slightly thorny issues were also touched,” he said. He mentioned the situation in Ukraine, where Catholic and Orthodox leaders have frequently clashed.
With President Putin, the cardinal said, the conversation centered on the Middle East, and especially the plight of Christians in that region. He said that he also spoke with the Russian leader about Ukraine and about the crisis in Venezuela. Cardinal Parolin discussed the same international issues earlier in talks with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.
Overall, the cardinal said, his meetings in Rome “were truly characterized by a cordial, listening, and respectful climate.”
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