THE VATICAN, October 17. /TASS/. Papal peace envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi met with Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov during his three-day visit to Moscow, the Holy See press service reported.

The cardinal was also received by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and held meetings with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova and Child Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova.

It specified that the talks focused on humanitarian issues to facilitate the rapprochement of positions in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. "The discussions allowed for an assessment of the progress made so far in family reunification for minors and the exchange of prisoners, the wounded, and the remains of the fallen," the report says.

This is the cardinal's second trip to Moscow. Last time he visited the capital over a year ago, when he was received by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. This time, the humanitarian aspects of the Ukrainian conflict were discussed with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of the Russian Orthodox Church's Department for External Church Relations.

Earlier, the Vatican and Russia expressed satisfaction with the level of their cooperation. On the eve of Zuppi's trip, Pope Francis received Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky during an audience. The president said later that he handed the pontiff a list of prisoners to be exchanged.