Pope Leo XIV Offers Vatican for Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks

Pope Leo XIV has offered the Vatican as a neutral venue to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia following the failure of recent negotiations in Istanbul, where Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, described the stalled talks as tragic and emphasized the pope's commitment to facilitating dialogue to resolve the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk have both invited Pope Leo to visit Ukraine, believing such a visit could help end the war. The Vatican has also played a key role as an intermediary in prisoner exchanges, with Archbishop Shevchuk providing the pope with lists of Ukrainian prisoners to aid in their liberation. Pope Leo conveyed support for the Ukrainian people and expressed the Holy See’s ongoing dedication to peace initiatives and dialogue. While a papal visit to Ukraine is considered premature, the Vatican continues to encourage direct negotiations between the conflicting parties to achieve a peaceful resolution.