@abdimarihotmarbun: Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations - effectively the Pope's foreign minister - has just concluded his mission to Russia. Before leaving the country on August 27, 2026, he celebrated Mass in Moscow's Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Gallagher's visit to Moscow, taking place at the same time as that of the CIA Director, may not be an encouraging sign. The last time both men travelled to Russia was in November 2021. They were aware of the troop movements along Ukraine's borders, and three months later Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The question many observers are asking is this: could it happen again? Is Russia preparing to expand the conflict once more? Experts are divided. For some, this scenario appears highly unlikely. After five years of war, Russia still struggles to secure full control even over Ukrainian territories near its own border, making it difficult to see how it could realistically contemplate attacking a NATO member state. Others disagree. On August 28, 2026, while Gallagher was returning to Rome, The Washington Post ran the front-page headline: "Putin Sees a Weaker America." According to the newspaper's analysis, Putin may seek to take advantage of what it sees as a temporary weakening of the United States in order to broaden the conflict. For now, the only established fact is that the United States has been weakened. Since the beginning of the conflict with Iran, it has significantly drawn down its military stockpiles, reportedly using around 65% of its available Patriot interceptor missiles. These systems are used to stop ballistic missiles, require years and millions of dollars to replace, and remaining inventories have become a subject of concern. At the same time, however, Russia has also been dramatically weakened by years of war. Regardless of what Putin may actually be planning, the Holy See sees a broader danger: violence is steadily replacing diplomacy. Its objective is therefore to keep diplomatic channels open, preventing the parties involved from abandoning negotiation altogether and relying exclusively on air credit video IG reels memento_en

Adie Marbun

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Region: ID

Tuesday 06 October 2026 16:45:43 GMT