Pope Leo XIV wants to hold Ukraine-Russia negotiations in the Vatican

The Vatican has called it tragic that Russia's Vladimir Putin ignored a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Türkiye.

"This is all tragic because we hoped that it would be a, maybe slow, process, but with a peaceful solution to the conflict, and instead we are back at the beginning," Parolin said.

According to him, the newly elected Pope is considering providing the Vatican for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

"The pope plans to make the Vatican, the Holy See, available for a direct meeting between the two sides," the Holy See's chief diplomat said.

Zelenskyy did not meet with Putin

Last week, Ukraine and Europe set a deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire. However, Russia's Vladimir Putin ignored this, but offered to resume direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to the talks, but said he would speak directly with Putin about the ceasefire. Zelenskyy flew to Türkiye on May 15 and met with the Turkish president. But Putin ignored the meeting with the Ukrainian delegation.

Instead, Putin sent his low-level officials to Istanbul. Today, the Ukrainian delegation is holding talks with the Russians. These are the first direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in three years.

Read more about the talks between Ukraine and Russia in RBC-Ukraine's report.