Prof. Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Sant'Egidio Community, met Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov today in Moscow. During the friendly and long conversation, different aspects of the international situation were addressed. Particular attention was paid to the Middle East with significant exchanges of views and information. 

Common concern was expressed for the plight of Christians and minorities in the area, whose presence is a guarantee of pluralism for Muslim societies, argued Riccardi. Andrea Riccardi also raised the plight of Aleppo, besieged for a long time, and underlined the value of the city as a place of coexistence among peoples and religions, but also with regard to the heritage of humanity.

It is necessary to save Aleppo from the risk of being the new Mosul, said Riccardi. He underlined the importance of a commitment of religious leaders in support of an escape from the spiral of violence and the search for peace in the Middle East. The dialogue continued on the issues of relations between Europe and Russia in the framework of which the Minister Lavrov explained various aspects of the current difficulties.