Asger Risom
Trump, Zelensky, and EU leaders praise Vatican as potential site for ceasefire negotiations.
A rare show of international unity emerged Monday as Western leaders welcomed Pope Leo XIV’s offer to mediate between Russia and Ukraine. The Vatican could soon become the setting for long-awaited peace talks aimed at halting a war that has dragged on for over three years.
The show of support follows renewed diplomatic activity, including a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin — a conversation that prompted parallel discussions among key European allies.
Vatican Emerges as Venue for Peace
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that leaders from the U.S., Ukraine, France, Germany, Finland, Italy, and the European Commission agreed the Pope’s offer was “positive.” The Vatican, she said, was seen as a neutral ground that could help facilitate “the immediate start of negotiations” toward a ceasefire and “a just and lasting peace.”
Pope Leo XIV extended the invitation last week, addressing Eastern Christian leaders with a call to global peacemaking. His message referenced conflicts from Ukraine and the Middle East to the Horn of Africa and the Caucasus.
“The Holy See is available so that enemies can meet and look each other in the eye, so that peoples can rediscover the hope and dignity that is theirs, the dignity of peace.”
The Pope vowed to use every means at his disposal to support peace efforts, including the possibility of a direct summit between Ukrainian and Russian officials.
Vatican Diplomacy Gains Momentum
The Vatican’s Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, confirmed that the Holy See is prepared to host face-to-face talks. The offer comes as Western leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, continue to seek diplomatic openings amid stalled frontline conditions.
As reported by Digi24, Pope Leo XIV recently met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and reaffirmed his commitment to peace diplomacy — a signal that the Vatican may soon take on a central role in shaping the next chapter of the conflict.