Zuppi will meet Biden on Tuesday at the White House where they will discuss the suffering caused by the war, humanitarian aid and "the Papal See’s focus on repatriating Ukrainian children forcibly deported by Russian officials," the White House said.
The Kyiv government estimates nearly 19,500 children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea since February 2022, in what it condemns as illegal deportations.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in March issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.
Earlier in June, he visited Kyiv and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
The plan calls for restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities, and the restoration of Ukraine's state borders.
Persons:
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Francis, Joe Biden, Zuppi, Biden, Vladimir Putin, Grigory Karasin, Francis ., Kirill, Russia's, Maria Lvova, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Philip Pullella, Costas Pitas, Federica Urso, Grant McCool
Organizations:
CITY, U.S, White, Criminal Court, ICC, Federation Council, Church, Thomson
Locations:
Ukraine, Russia, Washington, Crimea, Kherson, Russian, Ukraine's, Zuppi, Moscow, Kyiv