Cardinal Matteo Zuppi advances the Vatican’s humanitarian mission in Ukraine, focusing on prisoner exchanges, missing persons and children.
Newsroom (15/07/2026 Gaudium Press ) “Even a single soldier, a single civilian, or a single child who can embrace their family again is a building block for peace.”
With those words, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi encapsulated the humanitarian mission that has defined the Holy See’s engagement with the war in Ukraine. Speaking during a series of institutional meetings on his third day in the country, the papal envoy underscored a principle that has guided Vatican diplomacy throughout the conflict: engagement with those who suffer most directly from war.
For the Vatican, the path toward peace begins with humanitarian action. It is a strategy centered on prisoners of war, missing persons, separated families, and children taken from territories affected by the conflict. According to Zuppi, these human tragedies remain at the heart of the Holy See’s efforts to maintain dialogue between Kyiv and Moscow, even as broader political and military tensions persist.
A Mission Continued Under Pope Leo XIV
Zuppi’s latest visit to Kyiv marks his second trip to the Ukrainian capital since 2023, when Pope Francis first entrusted him with a special peace mission aimed at facilitating humanitarian initiatives between the two countries.
The effort has since been reaffirmed by Pope Leo XIV, who, according to Zuppi, continues to follow the conflict with deep concern and advocates for the protection of human dignity as war’s foremost casualty.
The cardinal emphasized that the Vatican’s role is rooted not in political negotiation but in humanitarian engagement. Over the course of the conflict, the Holy See has become one of the few channels of communication that has remained continuously open between Ukraine and Russia. Through that channel, thousands of names connected to repatriation efforts and humanitarian cases have reportedly passed through Vatican mediation mechanisms.
According to Zuppi, this work has been made possible by a climate of trust and friendship cultivated by the Catholic Church in both Kyiv and Moscow.
Ukrainian Authorities Seek Vatican Support
During his stay in Kyiv, Zuppi met with several senior Ukrainian officials including Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Vereschuk, Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets, and General Oleh Ivashchenko, who heads Ukraine’s Prisoner of War Coordination Unit.
The cardinal also met relatives of military and civilian prisoners being held in Russia.
These discussions focused on a range of humanitarian concerns that Ukrainian authorities hope the Vatican can help advance through its dialogue with Moscow.
At the center of the agenda is Kyiv’s proposal for an “all-for-all” prisoner exchange. According to General Ivashchenko, Ukraine is seeking assistance in securing the return of approximately 7,000 Ukrainian soldiers currently held in Russia while facilitating the return of roughly 4,000 Russian prisoners held by Ukraine.
Officials also highlighted the unresolved fate of numerous missing persons, particularly individuals who disappeared in occupied territories. Families continue seeking information about loved ones whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Civilians, Clergy and Journalists Among Key Concerns
Another pressing issue raised during the meetings involves civilians whom Ukraine says have not been repatriated. Families also appealed for assistance regarding detained priests, journalists and medical professionals.
Particular concern was expressed for wounded prisoners, individuals held in captivity for extended periods, and detainees convicted by Russian courts. Such convictions often place prisoners outside the normal exchange process by classifying them as common criminals rather than prisoners of war.
For many relatives, these cases represent some of the most difficult humanitarian challenges generated by the conflict. Their message to Zuppi was clear: every possible avenue should be pursued to bring loved ones home.
The Delicate Question of Children
Among the most sensitive issues discussed was the fate of Ukrainian children taken to Russia from areas affected by the war.
Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets described the matter as particularly complex but said he continues to view Vatican involvement with hope. The Holy See’s humanitarian network has already played a role in efforts to trace and reunite families, and Ukrainian officials are seeking continued support in this area.
For Zuppi, the issue reflects the broader humanitarian philosophy underpinning his mission. The goal is not merely diplomatic engagement but tangible outcomes that reunite families and alleviate suffering.
Calls for Access to Russian Detention Facilities
Ukrainian authorities also requested Vatican assistance in obtaining access to detention facilities and penal colonies within Russia.
The request follows Zuppi’s recent visit to the “Zakhid-1” prisoner camp in Ukraine’s Lviv region, where he met Russian prisoners of war. Kyiv is now urging Moscow to grant the cardinal similar access to facilities holding Ukrainian detainees.
Commissioner Lubinets alleged that Ukraine possesses evidence of torture inside Russian detention facilities, making independent access and monitoring a humanitarian priority.
Responding to the appeal, Zuppi pledged that every possible effort would be made.
“It is the will of Leo XIV,” he said. “Humanitarian commitment must be considered above any political or military rationale. And that is what is dear to the Church, an expert in humanity.”
The significance of these efforts was reflected in a symbolic gift presented to the cardinal by prisoners’ families: a painting bearing the word Credo (“I believe”), a gesture expressing hope that humanitarian action can help create pathways toward broader solutions.
A Prayer for Peace on Ukrainian Statehood Day
Zuppi’s visit coincided with celebrations marking the baptism of Kievan Rus’ and Ukrainian Statehood Day, a civil and religious observance connected to Prince Volodymyr the Great, who introduced Christianity to the region.
As an honored guest at the commemorations, the cardinal joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in laying a wreath at Kyiv’s Monastery of St. Michael, now a prominent site of remembrance for war victims.
The cardinal also recited a prayer he composed for Ukraine, asking God to grant “a just peace” and calling for prisoners to return home, children to be reunited with their families, the missing to be found, and families to recover and mourn their fallen loved ones.
Earlier in the day, during Mass at the Apostolic Nunciature, Zuppi reflected on the legacy of Saint Volodymyr, noting that the saint’s name means “prince of peace.”
“May Saint Volodymyr enlighten the minds and hearts of both heads of state to open paths of justice and peace,” he said, invoking a vision of reconciliation rooted in faith, humanity and the restoration of families torn apart by war.
In a conflict measured by military developments and geopolitical calculations, the Vatican’s message remains distinctly human: every prisoner returned, every child reunited, and every missing person found represents not only relief for a family but also a small yet meaningful step toward peace.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Avvenire
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