Russian President Vladimir Putin had a closed-door meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican which was followed by an official statement that the Pope urging Putin to work for “progressive détente” in eastern Ukraine.
Pope Francis has been a vocal critic of military activities in the Donbas, repeatedly calling for peace, but avoided directly blaming Russia for its involvement in the conflict, Ukraine Today reports.
The media noted that Vladimir Putin was, in his usual manner, late for the official meeting, making the Pope wait for nearly an hour.
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