Reuters reported that on May 20, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that Pope Leo XIV had confirmed to her by phone that he was ready to host the next round of talks to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Vatican.
In response to the goodwill to organize negotiations between the parties in the Vatican and the continuous efforts for peace, Prime Minister Meloni expressed his deep gratitude to Cardinal Leo XIV.
In fact, information about Pope Leo XIV's expressed intention to host talks between Kiev and Moscow was revealed by US President Donald Trump shortly after ending a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 19.
At that time, the Italian Prime Minister's Office said that Ms. Meloni welcomed Mr. Trump's speech. However, the Vatican has not yet confirmed the disclosure of this information.
Pope Leo XIV - newly installed on May 18 - is the first American to head the global catholic Church. In his speech on May 14, he said the Vatican could play an intermediary role in global conflicts, although he did not specifically mention Russia and Ukraine.
In a separate statement, Prime Minister Meloni said she had also discussed further steps with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The parties agreed to maintain close coordination between partners, towards a new round of negotiations to reach a ceasefire and a peace deal in Ukraine, Meloni said.
