The Vatican is available as a venue for possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Pope Leo XIV said, quoted by the Italian news agency ANSA, BTA reports.
“The Pope confirmed his readiness to welcome representatives of Russia and Ukraine to the Vatican for talks“, the Holy See said in a statement after the meeting between the pontiff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The US-born Pope spoke to the Ukrainian president about the ongoing conflict and the urgent need to find a just and lasting peace. During the meeting, the two also stressed the importance of dialogue as the preferred path to ending hostilities, the statement added.
“The Pope expressed his sorrow for the victims and renewed his prayers for the Ukrainian people. He encouraged all efforts to release prisoners of war and to seek common solutions,“ the statement concluded.