Russia-Vatican Relations Remain Trust-Based, Lavrov Says; Political Dialogue Set to Resume
Dragon Media News Desk
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that relations between Russia and the Vatican remain trust-based, friendly and pragmatic despite major changes in the geopolitical landscape.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Moscow on August 25 following talks with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Lavrov said both sides were preparing to intensify political and expert-level dialogue.
According to Lavrov, Russia is ready to resume political consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers and to expand expert-level discussions between the two foreign ministries on specific international issues. He said Moscow considers continued direct dialogue with the Vatican important amid a rapidly changing global environment.
Lavrov also expressed gratitude to the Holy See for honoring the memory of Soviet soldiers who died during the Second World War. He linked the issue to Russian concerns over what Moscow describes as increasing attempts in parts of Europe to reinterpret the history and outcome of the war.
During discussions on Ukraine, Lavrov accused Ukrainian forces of carrying out recent attacks on Russian territory that resulted in civilian casualties, including children. He referred to incidents in Krasnodar, Adygea, Dagestan and Starobelsk and placed responsibility on the Ukrainian side. As with many wartime claims made by Russia and Ukraine, independent verification of individual incidents remains necessary.
Lavrov also accused Ukraine of pursuing restrictive policies against the Russian language, Russian-language education, media and culture.
He further claimed that Ukrainian legislation and religious policies were increasing pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has historical links with the Russian Orthodox Church. Lavrov said Moscow hoped the Vatican would raise these issues in its contacts with Kyiv.
Ukraine, however, has defended many of its language and religious policies as measures related to national security, Russian influence and wartime conditions. Language and church issues therefore remain among the most politically and religiously contested aspects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Artificial intelligence was another major subject of the talks.
According to Lavrov, Russia and the Holy See held detailed discussions on the rapid development of artificial intelligence, particularly the risks associated with its military applications.
He said the two sides had similar views on several fundamental ethical, security and military questions related to AI. They agreed to continue expert-level consultations and coordinate their approaches, where possible, at relevant international forums.
Russia and the Vatican have maintained contacts on humanitarian issues connected with the Ukraine conflict, including family reunification, prisoner-of-war exchanges and other humanitarian initiatives.
The Moscow talks indicated that both sides remain interested in preserving direct diplomatic communication and practical humanitarian cooperation despite broader geopolitical tensions.
Overall, the meeting demonstrated that Russia-Holy See relations are extending beyond religious and humanitarian matters to include war, historical memory, artificial intelligence and wider questions concerning the changing international order.
