Pope Francis will likely meet with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill this year, the Russian ambassador to the Holy See.

“Preparations way for a second meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill are underway now for around June-July,” Alexander Avdeyev told reporters. He said that a site for the proposed meeting has not yet been chosen.

Pope Francis met with the Russian Patriarch in Cuba in February 2016. It was an unprecedented meeting between a Roman Pontiff and a Russian Orthodox Patriarch.

In December 2021, Pope Francis said that he would be willing to travel to Moscow for a second meeting.