Pope Francis appoints cardinal for peace mission in Ukraine.

Pope Francis has assigned Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, a close aide, with a mission to ease tensions in the Ukraine war and pave the way for peace. The Vatican spokesman said that the timetable and mechanics of the mission are currently under study. The move comes after Francis held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican last week. The pope has repeatedly denounced the war and prayed for the suffering Ukrainian people, but has generally shied away from blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin.