Translated material
Visiting dad
Vladimir Putin, not invited to the Big Seven summit, goes to Italy and the Vatican
On June 10, Vladimir Putin makes a rare visit to Western Europe a rare for his presidential practice for the last one and a half years-he goes with a short trip to Italy to visit the Russian Pavilion at EXPO-2015 in Milan, and then meet with Pope Francis.
Getting acquainted a year and a half ago with the head of the Catholic Church, Putin presented his dad with the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, and in response received a major with the image of Vatican gardens. You can only guess than the pontiff and the president will exchange this time, the real political results is not expected from the meeting. However, observers are noted, Vladimir Putin uses a trip to Italy to show, especially in the context of the classes of the results of the G7 summit, which confirmed the sanctions policy: the West is not the only one in its conviction of Russia.
How Putin was met in Italy - photo gallery:
Italy met Putin
The position of Rome against the backdrop of the general severity of the EU and the USA really looks somewhat softer. However, for the abolition of sanctions against Moscow, as in other European countries, radical oppositions are acting in Italy: the leadership of the League of the North, the Brothers of Italy and the conservative leaders of the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto. Neither the Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi, nor even the new president of the Republic of Sergio Mattarell will provide a guest from Moscow with any tangible support. For them, Putin is a tall, but, apparently, not too desired guest. With a stretch, you can consider a trip to visit the Russian Pavilion "EXPO-2015"-to accept the president of Russia as the owner will be the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government Igor Shuvalov.
About the Italian visit by Putin Radio Radio Liberty was told by the journalist of the papal pool Alexei Bukalov, a journalist of the papal pool:
- This visit is not a state, but a kind of target. Putin comes to the World Exhibition in Milan , a month later with a little after the opening, to the days of Russia, which precede the state holiday on June 12. The visit of the President of Russia breaks up into two parts. The first half is a stay in Milan, a meeting with the Prime Minister of Italy Renzi. Together, apparently, they will visit the Russian and, out of politeness, the Italian pavilions. Then the flight to Rome, to the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, the reception of Pope Francis. Then the program is a short meeting in the palace of the new President of the Republic of Mattarella, with whom Putin is not yet familiar with.
Pope Francis tries to do everything possible so that the "cold" war does not turn into "hot"
This is Putin’s second visit to Pope Francis (he had previously been in the Vatican repeatedly, twice met with John Paul II , once with Pope Benedict ). In November 2013, the Russian President came to a bilateral meeting in Trieste-with the then Prime Minister of Italy Enriko Letta, and on the eve of this event visited Pope Francis. He repeatedly then mentioned this meeting with great respect, the personality of the pontiff. A demonstration of this respect is a new visit to Rome. Pope Francis does not hide that he is trying to do everything possible so that the Third World War, while the "cold", about which he declared publicly , does not turn into a "hot war". Dad meets all leaders who somehow affect the international situation. As they say, surrounded by Pontiff, he waited with interest and meetings with Putin.
- I note (to the question of respect) that at the previous meeting with Francis, the Russian president, as usual, was late for almost an hour, but dad showed endurance and the time of communication with the guest from Moscow did not reduce ... It is known that the position of the Vatican regarding the conflict in Ukraine is calmer than the position of most Western governments. Should we expect that during this meeting, Vladimir Putin will hear biblical commandments like “do not steal” or “do not kill” from Francis dad?
Dialogue is the favorite word of Francis dad
-I have no doubt that some general condemnation of the situation in Ukraine in the gospel spirit will happen, but, of course, dad will not speak with Putin in an instructive tone, as he does, communicating with the flock. Of course, dad will tell the President of Russia about his fears. You correctly said: the Vatican prefers the most accurate, very restrained comments about the situation in Ukraine. I think that here the Catholic Church is guided not only by the gospel wisdom, but also by a completely medical principle - no harm.
- In the traditions of the Vatican - to speak indirectly, to show indirectly what the Catholic Church does not want to say aloud. According to the context of this visit - according to the time that will be devoted to Putin, the premises where the dad will accept the Russian president, other features of the ceremonial and the protocol, can this be said: will this be the reception of a friend or enemy? Are the Vatican fear of Putin?
Dialogue - Favorite Word of Pope Francis
- Putin’s visit to the Vatican is treated with a plus sign, since the President of Russia, as they believe here, an important interlocutor. The fact that Putin at such a tense international moment considers it necessary to meet with Pope Francis is regarded as a desire for dialogue. And the dialogue is the favorite word of the Francis. He believes that the thin world is better than a good quarrel, that in the dialogue you can solve any problem. He spoke exactly about this during the newly ended pastoral trip to Sarajevo , calling the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina "European Jerusalem" - a city in which different nations, beliefs, customs come in and coexist. Let me remind you that largely thanks to the intermediary efforts of Pope Francis, it was recently managed to get warming in the American-Cuban relations. Perhaps the pontiff’s experience will be able to apply his experience in a new conflict in eastern Europe.
As for the formal circumstances of Putin, I remind you: Pope Francis does not live in the Apostolic Palace, he lives in a small hotel in the Vatican. But for especially honored guests, he chooses ceremonial premises, the Apostolic Library. It is where the most honored guests are accepted that a meeting with Putin will take place, ”said Radio Liberty, the journalist of the Vatican pool Alexei Bukalov.
It is expected that in the evening on Wednesday the President of Russia can also meet with the former Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi-it is known that two politicians are connected by many years of informal relations. Obviously, at this meeting of mutual understanding there will be more. Last year, Putin, who came to Milan at the International Conference, spent five hours in communication with Berlusconi, and the Italian policy convicted of financial fraud, had to receive a special police permission for this meeting.
Fragment of the final issue of the Freedom Time program
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Andrey Shary
I.O. Regional Director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty for Russian -Sound Content
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Sharya@rferl.org