Pope says Vatican involved in secret Ukraine peace mission

The pope told reporters that he would reveal the mission when it was made public. "I will make it public when it becomes so," said the pope to reporters on a return flight from a three-day trip to Hungary.

"I believe that peace is made always by opening up channels. Peace can never be achieved by closing channels...This is not an easy task."

The pope also said that he spoke about the situation in Ukraine both with Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban, and with Metropolitan Hilarion (bishop), a representative from the Russian Orthodox Church of Budapest.

"Everyone is interested in the path to peace," he said.

Francis has been pleading for peace almost every week since Russia invaded Ukraine on 20 February, 2022. He has also expressed his desire to act as an intermediary between Kyiv, Ukraine and Moscow. So far, his offer has not led to any breakthrough.

Pope Francis, who is 86 years old, said he wanted to visit Kyiv, but also Moscow, on a mission of peace.

Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine's prime minister, met with the pope on Thursday (27 April) at the Vatican and stated that he discussed the "peace formulation" proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Shmyhal asked for assistance in repatriating children. Kyiv estimates that nearly 19,500 children were taken to Russia or Russian occupied Crimea in illegal deportations since Moscow invaded the country in February last year.

Francis said: "The Holy See will do this because it's the right thing," on the plane. "All gestures are helpful, but cruel gestures do not help. We must do everything humanly possible".

Francis, who seemed in relatively good health during his trip, also spoke about his health after his hospitalization late March for bronchitis, which the Vatican at the time said was his condition.

He felt a sharp pain after his public address on 29 March, and tried to go to sleep.

He said: "I didn't lose consciousness, but I had a fever. At 3pm at the hospital the doctor immediately took me."

"It was an acute and severe pneumonia in the lower part of the lungs. It's a good thing I can now talk about it. Thank God, the body responded well to treatment," he said. He was released from the hospital on 1 April.

In Argentina, a part of his lung was removed more than 50 years ago when he was still a teenager.

The pope confirmed that his plans to visit Lisbon, Portugal in August to attend an international youth meeting and then separate to Marseilles and Mongolia are unchanged.

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