Gallagher and Lavrov discuss ‘humanitarian sphere’ of Ukraine conflict

Despite two ceasefire agreements aimed at halting assaults on energy infrastructure and establishing a truce in the Black Sea, negotiations have not made a meaningful impact on the ground.

Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states, spoke to Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on 4 April about the war in Ukraine and ongoing ceasefire initiatives.

A statement from the Vatican said that Archbishop Gallagher reiterated the Vatican’s long-standing support in the humanitarian sphere and its commitment to facilitating prisoner exchanges.

The Russian foreign ministry reported that during the conversation, which it said was initiated by the Holy See, Lavrov expressed gratitude for its involvement in humanitarian efforts.

“In particular, the situation around Ukraine was touched upon, including in the context of the ongoing Russian-US dialogue on ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis with the obligatory reliable elimination of its root causes,” it said.

Despite two ceasefire agreements aimed at halting assaults on energy infrastructure and establishing a truce in the Black Sea, US-led negotiations have failed to make a meaningful impact on the ground. On Friday, a Russian ballistic missile struck Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukraine’s President Zelensky, killing 20 people including nine children. The UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Türk said the attack displayed “a reckless disregard for civilian life”.

“Ordinary people do not trust signed papers, but rather concrete deeds,” said Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, marking 163 weeks since the full-scale Russian invasion.

“Despite high-level agreements on ceasefires and various efforts to halt Russia’s armed aggression, ordinary people see no signs of peace,” he warned in a video message.

As international religious leaders continue to engage with Ukraine, the evangelical pastor Mark Burns, founder of the NOW Christian Television network in the US who was once described by Time magazine as “Trump’s Top Pastor”, made a visit and declared that US President Donald Trump would bring an end to the war.

In Kyiv, he met various religious leaders to discuss the impact of the Russian invasion on Ukraine’s spiritual life. He was accompanied by the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Azman as they visited Bucha, Irpin and Borodianka, sites of Russian atrocities, on the third anniversary of their liberation.

‘Just peace’ must be more than a slogan, says Shevchuk

The war in Ukraine: diplomacy beyond revenge

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