Putin treated Pope Francis with great respect — Kremlin

“The president sent a telegram expressing his condolences over the Pope’s death. They had met many times and treated each other with great respect,” the Kremlin spokesman pointed out.

Putin and Francis were personally acquainted. They met three times — during the Russian president’s brief visits to the Vatican in 2013, 2015, and 2019 — and also communicated by phone, with their most recent contact in December 2021. Each March, Putin sent the Pope congratulations on the anniversary of his election to the See of St. Peter, and every December, the Vatican received messages from the Russian leader on the occasion of New Year’s Eve and Christmas.

Last March, Putin congratulated Francis on the 12th anniversary of his election, wishing the pontiff good health and highlighting the significance of his efforts to promote peace and harmony among nations. At that time, Francis was hospitalized with a complicated form of pneumonia.