Vatican clarifies Pope Leo XIV's proposal: Venue for Ukraine-Russia talks, not mediation
Pope Leo XIV (Getty Images)
Pope Leo XIV proposed the Vatican as a venue for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. However, the Vatican is not acting as a mediator, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's Secretary of State, according to Vatican News.
According to him, the Vatican supports the earliest possible negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, and the location does not matter.
"What truly matters is that these talks finally begin, because the war urgently needs to be stopped. First and foremost, an immediate ceasefire is needed to end the destruction, the devastation of cities, and the deaths of civilians. Then it is urgently necessary to achieve a stable, just, and lasting peace that will be accepted and agreed upon by both sides," Parolin said.
He emphasized that Pope Leo XIV expressed the Holy See's full readiness to host potential negotiations, offering a "neutral, secure location." At the same time, this refers only to providing a venue for talks, not to the pontiff acting as a mediator, since "mediation must be requested by the parties."
"There is also mention of other possible locations, such as Geneva. In any case, it does not matter where the negotiations take place, which we all hope for. What truly matters is that they finally begin," the cardinal added.
Vatican's proposal
On May 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after an audience with Pope Leo XIV, announced the Vatican's readiness to serve as a venue for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia aimed at achieving a just peace.
Later, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that during a phone call, Pope Leo XIV confirmed his readiness to host talks between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the idea of the Vatican as a potential venue for peace talks is "somewhat inelegant," considering that Russia and Ukraine are countries of Eastern Orthodoxy.
