Russia has rejected the Vatican’s offer to host talks for ending the war in Ukraine, despite international support for the idea. Source: OSV News.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin had offered to “eventually make the Vatican … available for a direct meeting” between Ukraine and Russia, as May 16 talks between those nations in Istanbul ended after just two hours, with little result except for a mutual prisoner exchange.
The move was endorsed by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump.
Ukraine President Voldymyr Zelenskyy – who had a private meeting with Pope Leo XIV following the May 18 papal inauguration Mass at St Peter’s Square – said in his May 19 conversations with Mr Trump he had “reiterated that Ukraine is ready for direct negotiations with Russia in any format that brings results. Türkiye, the Vatican, Switzerland – we are considering all possible venues.”
However, Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has rejected the prospect, saying his nation has “no plans” for when or where the next meeting between the two nations will take place.
Mr Lavrov made the remarks on Friday while speaking at a conference in Moscow on “Historical South Russian Lands: National Identity and Self-Determination of Peoples”.
He described efforts to coordinate talks at the Vatican as “unrealistic”.
“Imagine the Vatican as a venue for negotiations. It’s a bit vulgar,” Mr Lavrov said, according to the Ukrainska Pravda media outlet, citing Russian media outlet RBC. Mr Lavrov’s word choice has been described as “inelegant”.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said there were “no agreements” to hold talks at the Vatican.
FULLS TORY
Russia rejects Vatican offer to host peace talks on Ukraine (By Gina Christian, OSV News)
