NNA - Pope Francis went to the Russian embassy at the Holy See "to express his concern for the war" following the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, the Vatican press office said Friday.

Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church, stayed for just over half an hour at the embassy in Rome, the press office said, without providing a read-out of the meeting or stating who was present.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a major military operation in Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday.

Francis's unannounced visit comes one day after the Vatican's secretary of state insisted there was "still time for goodwill... still room for negotiation".-- AFP

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