Amidst the Ukrainian crisis: Pope Francis to receive Putin on June 10

Russian President Vladimir Putin will be received by Pope Francis at the Vatican on June 10, for the second time since the Pope's election, Vatican spokesman said on Thursday, reports the Patria News Agency.

-President Putin will travel to the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 10, said assistant spokesman Father Ciro Benedettini.

In November 2013, the Russian president had already visited the Vatican to meet with the new Pope Francis. The Kremlin announced on June 1 that Putin intends to travel in the coming days to Milan, where the World Expo is currently being held.

The visit of the Russian head of state to the Vatican takes place in the context of still high tensions between Moscow and the West due to the Ukrainian crisis. The Holy See and the Pope have called on Ukrainians, divided between Orthodox and Catholics, to reconcile. However, the Vatican has remained cautious in this crisis, and Pope Francis has condemned the "war among Christians".