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Putin Meets With Pope, Italian Leaders During Rome Visit

Sabina Castelfranco

   ROME - Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Italy on Thursday for
   the first time in four years, at the invitation of Prime Minister
   Giuseppe Conte, who was in Moscow last October.

   Amid heavy security in Rome, Putin went from the airport to the Vatican
   to speak with Pope Francis, with whom he had met twice before.

   The Russian leader thanked the pope for the nearly hour-long
   closed-door talks and called the discussion "very substantive and
   interesting." The Vatican issued a statement after the meeting in the
   Apostolic Palace, saying the talks focused on the situations in Syria,
   Ukraine and Venezuela.

   The conflict in Ukraine and last year's schism between the Russian and
   Ukrainian Orthodox Churches had been expected to be the focus of
   discussions, but no further details were made available by the Vatican.
   Catholic leaders from Ukraine will be gathering at the Vatican in the
   coming days to discuss the various problems in the country.

   After the Vatican meeting, Putin met with Italian President Sergio
   Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace.

   Sources described "bilateral relations between Russia and Italy as
   excellent," in spite of existing differences with the West on matters
   regarding Ukraine. Common concern was expressed by the Russian
   president and the Italian head of state about "the civil war in Libya
   and the consequent return to Islamic terrorism in Syria." The
   importance of stability in Libya for Italy and Europe was also noted.

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