Pope ready to hold next round of talks between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican

Pope Leo XIV has confirmed his readiness to hold the next round of talks between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican. This was reported by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the social network X.

The Pope told Meloni about the agreement to receive representatives of Ukraine and the Russian Federation in the Vatican in a telephone conversation on May 20.

"Having found confirmation from His Holiness of his willingness to hold further negotiations between the parties in the Vatican, I expressed my deep gratitude for his openness and unwavering commitment to the cause of peace," Maloney wrote.

The Prime Minister said that she also held talks during the day with President Volodymyr Zelensky , French President Emmanuel Macron , Finnish President Alexander Stubbs , British Prime Minister Keir Starmer , German Chancellor Friedrich Merz , and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen .

"We agreed to maintain close coordination between partners with a view to a new round of negotiations aimed at a ceasefire and peace agreement in Ukraine," Maloney emphasized.

• On May 16, against the backdrop of the "failed" negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, Pope Leo XIV offered the Vatican as a negotiating platform for the next meeting of the two countries.
• On May 18, Pope Leo XIV officially took office . In his final speech at the enthronement ceremony, he mentioned Ukraine and announced new peace talks .