Francisco received Putin with Ukraine, Syria and Venezuela on the agenda – Telam

Pope Francis received Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vatican at a meeting of nearly one hour during which they discussed the situation in Syria, Venezuela and Ukraine.

"Welcome," greeted the pontiff to Putin when he received it at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, at 2 pm, in Rome, at the third meeting between them since the enthronement of Jorge Bergoglio as pope in 2013.

As at the last meeting, in 2015, Putin arrived at the Vatican with nearly an hour late in the middle of a caravan of 30 cars.

After the 55-minute closed meeting, Putin thanked the pontiff for "the time past" and for "his very substantial and interesting speech".

During the traditional exchange of gifts, the pontiff awarded him a World War I medal, the message on human fraternity that he had signed in February with Muslim leaders and a leaflet with the silhouette of St. Peter's Square "so that he does not forget Rome," he said. .

Meanwhile, Putin handed him a book about the painter and sculptor Michelangelo, a DVD of the film "Sin" by Andrey Konchalovskiy and an icon of Saints Peter and Paul.