Putin to meet with Pope Francis tomorrow at the Vatican

On June 10, during his visit to the Vatican, Vladimir Putin will meet with Pope Francis. According to a Kremlin aide, Putin might also travel to Rome to meet with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, with whom Putin has long enjoyed an especially warm relationship.

Putin and the Pope are expected to discuss current international issues, including the situation in Ukraine, with a focus on interfaith relations.

Putin’s aide told the news agency Interfax that the two leaders will also talk about the situation of Christians in the Middle East and the need to protect their interests there.

• This marks the second meeting between Putin and Pope Francis. The men first got acquainted in November 2013. The Kremlin’s spokesperson says it remains unclear if Putin plans to invite Pope Francis to Moscow, explaining that the Russian Orthodox Church would need to be consulted on such matters.