Relationship dossier
Vatican City
Russia
Relationship assessment
Diplomatic engagement and humanitarian dialogue amid major disagreements over Ukraine
Vatican City toward Russia
+20The Holy See has maintained diplomatic engagement with Russia and sent Cardinal Matteo Zuppi to Moscow in 2023 as part of efforts to promote humanitarian steps related to the war in Ukraine.
Russia toward Vatican City
+15The Russian government has maintained diplomatic relations with the Holy See and received Cardinal Matteo Zuppi in Moscow in 2023 for discussions related to the war in Ukraine.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship has a durable diplomatic channel and episodic cooperation, including dialogue on religious and humanitarian matters. It is constrained by deep differences over the war in Ukraine, limiting the partnership's scope.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
The Holy See and Russia maintain diplomatic relations and have pursued dialogue, including on religious matters and the war in Ukraine. The Holy See has used diplomatic channels to seek humanitarian steps, while Russia has engaged with Vatican representatives. These efforts indicate modest cooperation, alongside significant differences over the war and its consequences.
Areas of tension
- The war in Ukraine and its humanitarian consequences
- Differences over the interpretation and framing of the war
Key developments
The Holy See and Russia upgraded their diplomatic relations to full relations.
Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill met in Havana and issued a joint declaration addressing Catholic-Orthodox relations and international issues.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy adviser met Cardinal Matteo Zuppi during his humanitarian mission to Moscow.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and practical results of bilateral diplomatic cooperation are unclear.
- The extent of Russian government involvement in Vatican humanitarian initiatives is uncertain.