Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pope Francis in the Vatican (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

This is the third time he has met Pope Francis. There is speculation that the visit is a prelude to the first trip by a pope to Russia. Speaking to the press after their 55-minute meeting, Putin said it was an interesting and substantial discussion.

Putin later met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. This is the Russian president’s first visit to Italy since 2015 when he attended an exhibition in Milan.