(Adnkronos) – Pope Leo XIV has confirmed the Vatican’s readiness to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine to end the deadly 39-month-long conflict which has ravaged the former Soviet republic, Italy’s premier Giorgia Meloni’s office has announced.
The pontiff made the offer to host peace negotiations on Ukraine during a phone conversation with Meloni late Tuesday “on the next steps to take towards building a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”, Meloni’s office said in a statement.
“Finding in the Holy Father confirmation of the willingness to host future talks between the parties in the Vatican, the prime minister expressed deep gratitude for the openness of Pope Leo XIV and for his unceasing commitment to peace,” said the statement.
Meloni and other European leaders agreed on Tuesday to keep up close coordination over a fresh round of negotiations on a ceasefire and peace accord in Ukraine, her office stated. Meloni spoke on the phone to Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, Finland’s president Alexander Stubb, UK premier Keir Starmer, Germany’s Chancellor, Friedrich Merz and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, according to the statement.
Meloni raised the possibility with Leo XIV of the Vatican hosting peace talks between Russia and Ukraine at the request of president Donald Trump and other European leaders with whom she had phone talks on Monday, the statement noted.
