Pope Francis said Tuesday he has requested a meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war but has heard nothing back.

The 85-year-old told Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper that he had sent a message to Putin around 20 days into the conflict saying "that I was willing to go to Moscow".

"We have not yet received a response and we are still insisting, though I fear that Putin cannot, and does not, want to have this meeting at this time," he said.

The pope has repeatedly called for peace in Ukraine and denounced a "cruel and senseless war" but without ever mentioning Putin or Moscow by name.