Vatican representative Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi has arrived in Moscow on behalf of Pope Francis, who met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, the press service of the Holy See said.

"Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi begins a visit to Moscow as part of the mission entrusted to him by Pope Francis to seek a path to peace in Ukraine and to facilitate the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families and the exchange of prisoners-of-war," the Vatican press service said on Monday.

According to Director of the Holy See press service Matteo Bruni, Zuppi will meet with representatives of the Russian authorities and "assess further efforts to facilitate the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families and the exchange of prisoners, with a view to achieving the much-hoped-for peace."

Earlier it was reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Pope and the Secretary of State of the Holy See Cardinal Pietro Parolin in the Vatican on October 11. The parties discussed, in particular, the return of deported children, the release of civilian hostages and prisoners of war.