Pope Leo XIV offers Vatican for Russia-Ukraine peace as ceasefire hopes collapse in Istanbul
Trending | World | Pope Leo XIV offered the Vatican as a neutral ground for the Russia-Ukraine peace talks as the Istanbul peace talks collapsed.
Pope Leo XIV, in a dramatic appeal for peace, has offered the Vatican as the neutral ground for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
The pontiff's offer comes as both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin skipped the peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday (May 16).
An 'opening for peace'
A spokesperson for the newly elected leader of the Catholic Church, as per the Daily Mail, said that the pope's offer hopes to help solve the "very difficult, dramatic situation" and provide an "opening for peace".
Also read | 'BIGGEST prisoner swap in over 3 years': What was discussed during Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Turkey
Pope Leo's offer comes as talks collapsed barely 90 minutes into the first direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine in over three years.
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The diplomacy in Turkey started falling apart when Putin refused to attend, despite having initially proposed the talks.
Zelensky, who had travelled to Turkey, also avoided the Istanbul talks once it became clear Putin wouldn't show.
The diplomacy deteriorated further with Russia refusing to discuss a ceasefire unless "core conditions" were met. These include the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four eastern provinces and a halt to Western military aid to Kyiv.
Ukraine immediately dismissed the demands as "detached from reality", to which a Russian delegate reportedly warned, "Next time it will be five regions."
'Back at beginning': Holy See steps in as Istanbul talks collapse
Following the failed talks in Turkey, where low-level officials from the two countries agreed to release 1,000 prisoners each, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin revealed that the Pope intends to "offer the Vatican, the Holy See, for a direct meeting of both parties".
Labelling the failure of the first Russia-Ukraine direct talks "tragic", he said that "we hoped that a process could be started, perhaps slow but with a peaceful solution to the conflict. Instead, we are back at the beginning."
However, turning down Zelensky's invitation to Pope Leo to visit Ukraine, Parolin said a visit was "premature".