Pope Leo XIV has proposed holding peace talks between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican after a meeting in Istanbul failed to bring together the “main players.”
Points of attention
- The Pope, Leo XIV, has proposed holding peace talks between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican, after failed negotiations in Istanbul.
- Pope Leo XIV emphasizes the need for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine-Russia conflict and plans to actively assist in resolving the situation.
- The Vatican offers to mediate in peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, following the breakdown of a meeting in Istanbul and Vladimir Putin's absence.
Vatican offers to mediate in peace talks between Ukraine and Russia
After Vladimir Putin failed to show up for peace talks in Turkey that he himself had proposed, the Vatican called the outcome "tragic" and said that Pope Leo XIV had offered the Vatican to mediate between the two sides.
"It's all tragic because we were hoping that it would be a maybe slow process, but with a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and instead we're back to square one," Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's top diplomat, told reporters on the sidelines of a Vatican event in Rome on Friday.
According to him, "now we will see what to do, but the situation is complicated."
The Pope plans to make the Vatican, the Holy See, available for a direct meeting between the two sides, Parolin said.
Pope Leo XIV, who was elected last week, has made it clear that working for peace in Ukraine will be a priority of his pontificate. He spoke by phone with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday and mentioned the “suffering of the beloved Ukrainian people” in his first Sunday blessing in St. Peter’s Square.
In an audience with representatives of the Eastern Churches on Wednesday, the Pope “heartily” called on the two leaders to negotiate. “The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies face to face... Let us meet, let us talk, let us reach an agreement,” he added.
His predecessor, Pope Francis, sent envoys to Ukraine and Russia, and worked to promote the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families and the exchange of prisoners of war. Francis has come to the defense of Ukraine, although he had previously blamed NATO expansion for the war.
