Vatican diplomat Paul Richard Gallagher to visit Moscow

Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, is scheduled to visit Moscow from August 25 to 28. The visit aims to assess the political atmosphere in the Russian capital ahead of a potential trip by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Vatican’s special envoy for Ukraine, who is expected to visit in September.

According to reports, Gallagher’s mission is intended to prevent a diplomatic impasse similar to one in 2023, when Russia refused to discuss political aspects of conflict resolution with the papal mission, limiting Vatican involvement to humanitarian issues.

Additionally, the visit serves to gauge the stance of Russian authorities and the Moscow Patriarchate regarding the appointment of a new Catholic Archbishop for Moscow. This follows the resignation of Archbishop Paolo Pezzi in May 2024. Currently, the archdiocese is under the administration of Auxiliary Bishop Nikolai Dubinin.