Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, visited Ukraine and blessed the Ukrainian people on behalf of Pope Francis.

“I can assure you that [the Pope’s] pronouncements about atrocities, about the suffering that he has been aware of in the country, are most sincere,” Archbishop Gallagher said. “He’s trying to be as forceful as he can to defend the Ukrainian people, to point out the fact that they have their freedom, that the integrity of this country has been transgressed.”

“In our contacts with others, we have always said the Holy See remains completely committed to the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he added. “That is our bottom line.”