Russia reportedly dismissed the Vatican as a serious venue for Ukraine peace talks, following Trump’s suggestion that Pope Leo could mediate.
Russia has dismissed the Vatican as a serious venue for potential peace talks with Ukraine, following a suggestion from U.S. President Donald Trump that Pope Leo XIV could mediate in ending the ongoing conflict, according to a report published by Reuters on Tuesday.
According to three senior Russian sources who spoke to Reuters, Russia does not see the Vatican as an appropriate setting for such high-stakes discussions. They cited the fact that both Russia and Ukraine are predominantly Eastern Orthodox countries, while the Vatican is surrounded by NATO-member Italy, which has supported Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Russia.
“The Vatican definitely is not seen in Russia as a serious force capable of resolving such a complex conflict,” one Russian source told Reuters on the condition of anonymity.
Additionally, Russian officials pointed out that many of them would be unable to travel to the Vatican due to Western sanctions and the suspension of direct flights to Rome after the war began in February 2022.
One official sarcastically remarked that a more suitable venue would be The Hague, home of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued a warrant for President Vladimir Putin’s arrest over allegations of war crimes. The Kremlin has condemned the ICC’s actions as politically motivated.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also weighed in, calling the Vatican proposal “a bit inelegant,” given the religious and political divide between Eastern Orthodox and Catholic traditions, as reported by Reuters.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said last week that Pope Leo XIV had expressed a willingness to host peace talks during a phone call with her. However, Russia’s focus remains on alternative venues, with Turkey, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman viewed as more viable options for mediation, the report said.
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