- Title: ITALY-RUSSIA/PUTIN-POPE ARRIVAL Putin arrives for meeting with pope
- Date: 11th June 2015
- Summary: VATICAN CITY (JUNE 10, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** RUSSIAN FLAGS ON BALCONY SWISS GUARD IN COURTYARD VARIOUS OF SWISS GUARD MARCHING COURT YARD WITH SWISS GUARD MARCHING PREFECT OF THE PAPAL HOUSEHOLD, GEORG GANSWEIN, WAITING SWISS GUARD SETTING DOWN HALBERDS RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN ARRIVING BY CAR CAR ARRIVING IN FRONT OF ENTRANCE WHE
- Embargoed: 26th June 2015 13:00
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- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA69MILEDNCL0GS9AM8IRHMV22C
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russian President Vladimir Putin, on a day-long trip to Italy and the Vatican, on Wednesday (June 10) arrived for a private audience with Pope Francis.
The meeting comes after the United States urged the Vatican on Wednesday to more forcefully criticise Russia's involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
Putin will hope for a sympathetic reception from Francis, who has played a behind-the-scenes role in discussions on a Palestinian state and in U.S.-Cuba relations.
Last February, when the pope referred to the conflict in the Ukraine as a "war between Christians" without criticising Moscow, the Russian Orthodox Church praised it as a balanced approach.
But the Vatican had to issue a clarification after one Ukrainian Catholic bishop called the pope's words "particularly painful" for all Ukrainians.
Western countries, Kiev and NATO have all presented what they say is evidence that Russia is sending troops and weapons to rebels in eastern Ukraine, although Moscow vigorously denies this.
Putin has expressed concern about the fate of Christians in the Middle East, particularly in Syria, and this is also expected to be a topic of discussion in his meeting with Francis, their second since Francis' election.
Putin blames the crisis on Kiev and the West, which he says plotted a coup in Ukraine. He denies sending arms and troops to back pro-Russian separatists in east Ukraine, where more than 6,400 people have been killed in just over a year of fighting.
U.S. President Barack Obama, whose country has also punished Russia with sanctions, puts the blame directly on Putin. He accused him on Monday (June 8) of wrecking Russia's economy by trying to recreate the glories of the Soviet empire.
Putin is making a rare foray onto EU, though it is his second trip to Italy in eight months following a Europe-Asia summit in October.
Putin cemented ties with Hungary during a visit to Budapest in February, but the former Soviet bloc ally is not expected to block the extension of sanctions at an EU summit on June 25-26.
A visit in June 2014 to Austria, a longstanding energy customer for Moscow, was also not followed by splits in the EU. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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