Archbishop Richard Gallagher has said that the Ukraine war “must end” as he spoke next to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a press conference following their meeting. The statement comes as Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Gallagher is conducting his diplomatic visit to Moscow as part of the Holy See’s attempts to facilitate peace between the two countries.

Archbishop Gallagher said the two had spoken of the “tragic war in Ukraine” and discussed possible avenues for a “just and lasting peace”, as well as addressing humanitarian issues within the conflict. The archbishop noted the “lingering and substantial differences” in the two parties’ evaluation of the conflict. However, the two agreed on the importance of maintaining channels of communication and protecting the civilian populations.

The archbishop had last year made his views on the war clear, stating that the decision to invade was “Russia’s alone”. Archbishop Gallagher last visited Russia in November 2021, before the Russian invasion, and he last spoke with Lavrov in April 2025 by telephone.

Archbishop Gallagher said at the press conference: “The Holy See continues to follow with deep concern the war in Ukraine and deplores the sufferings of the innocent. After more than four years of hostilities, the conflict continues to expand. The number of victims continues to grow. Many families remain divided and the material and psychological consequences of the conflict affect millions of people in Ukraine and Russia. Let us be clear, this war must end.”

He continued: “For this reason, during our exchange, I reiterated the appeal of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to end the hostilities and to begin authentic negotiations with the support of the international community. The position of the Holy See remains clear: The conflict cannot be resolved by military means. It is essential to create the conditions for a serious political and diplomatic process.”

He stated that the dialogue implied a “recognition of the fact that the longer the conflict continues, the more difficult it will be to arrive at an adequate resolution while the sufferings of the population continue to increase”. Archbishop Gallagher urged Russia and Ukraine to demonstrate an openness to dialogue so that peace could be achieved as quickly as possible.

“At the same time,” he noted, “the Holy See reiterates the obligation to respect international humanitarian law, including with regard to the protection of civilian populations, objects and infrastructure, as well as the treatment of the wounded and of prisoners of war.

“Peace must be founded on the full respect of international law and of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It must also take into account the safety and dignity of all peoples involved. We agree on the fact that the safety of one individual cannot be achieved by sacrificing the safety of others."

The archbishop noted that collaboration on humanitarian efforts was essential, and stated that the two men discussed the return of children to their families, the treatment of prisoners of war and detained civilians, the provision of information on missing persons and assistance for the wounded. He urged such efforts to not be politicised and emphasised that collaboration towards these goals could both “alleviate suffering and contribute to rebuilding a minimum of trust between the parties”.

Reaffirming the Holy See’s willingness to contribute to humanitarian efforts, he recognised the contribution made by Churches during the conflict in this area. Looking to the Catholic Church in Russia, he stated that both sides “confirmed the importance of maintaining regular and constructive contacts”.

Archbishop Gallagher said: “The most important issue, however, remains the need to achieve peace. Every day that the war continues creates new victims, exacerbates the divergences between the peoples involved, and renders future reconciliation ever more difficult. It is therefore urgent and necessary to end and to look beyond the conflict in order to ensure that the future memory of past wrongs does not become a prison nor that present sufferings become a legacy of hatred.”

He concluded by offering the assistance of the Holy See in any way that could further the achievement of peace. “This is my sincere desire for the people of the Russian Federation, for the Ukrainian people and for all those who continue to suffer on account of this tragic war,” he said.

Archbishop Gallagher’s visit will involve pastoral visits to Catholics in Russia, who number just under 800,000 people. However, the visit forms one part of the Holy See’s longstanding efforts to facilitate peace between Russia and Ukraine. It is expected that those efforts will continue on August 26, as the archbishop will meet with Yuri Ushakov, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation for Foreign Policy.