Pope Leo XIV Ready to Offer the Vatican for Russia–Ukraine Talks

The Secretary of State of the Holy See, Pietro Parolin, has announced that newly elected Pope Leo XIV plans to offer the Vatican as a venue for direct dialogue between representatives of Russia and Ukraine. This was reported by Euronews.

According to Parolin, negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine could take place at the Vatican if both parties agree. “Pope Leo XIV intends, if necessary, to provide the Vatican as a platform for direct talks between the parties,” he said.

At the same time, the Secretary of State expressed disappointment with the outcome of the latest round of negotiations held in Turkey on Friday. “It is very tragic, because we were hoping that the process, even if slow, would finally begin. Instead, we have returned to square one,” said Pietro Parolin. He added that future steps will depend on how the situation develops, which he described as extremely complex and dramatic.

Earlier, it was reported that on May 15, 2025, Pope Leo XIV received the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, at the Vatican. During the meeting, Shevchuk invited the new Pontiff to visit Ukraine.