The Kremlin has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday

Vladimir Putin has no plans to attend Pope Francis' funeral, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Pope Francis, who has died aged 88, aimed to promote Christian unity by establishing relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. Relations deteriorated after the invasion of Ukraine, blessed by Patriarch Kirill. In contrast, Ukrainian President Zelenski will attend the ceremony.