The president of the United States, Donald Trump, said this May 19 that, after a two -hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia and Ukraine will begin “immediately” negotiations of Alto El Fuego, and that the Vatican could be the headquarters of said conversations.
“The negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediate Finland, during a call with me, immediately after the call with President Putin, ”Trump wrote.
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“The Vatican, represented by the Pope, has stated that he would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. That the process begins!” He concluded.
In social networksTrump said the “tone and spirit of conversation” with Putin were “excellent.”
The Vatican did not immediately respond to a request for comments on Trump’s statements. However, last Friday, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Vatican, told journalists that “the Pope plans to put the Vatican, the Holy See, available to a direct meeting between both parties.”
Zelenski said at a press conference on Monday that he wants the meeting to occur as soon as possible and that it could be organized by Türkiye, the Vatican or Switzerland, according to reported The BBC. Meloni expressed on Monday his support for the possible organization of the meeting by the Vatican.
In the 10 days passed since his election on May 8, Pope Leo XIV has shown a more pro-achievement position in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine than his immediate predecessor, Pope Francis, first speaking by phone with Zelenski in the early hours of his pontificate, and then meeting with the leader in a private audience the same day of his inaugural mass.
Leo XIV also requested negotiations for a “fair and lasting peace” in Ukraine in his first two messages from the prayer of the Regina Coelion May 11 and 18, and one of his first hearings was with the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church of Greek rite, the Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk.
As bishop in Peru in 2022, then Mons. Robert Prevost also made explicit reference to the Russian invasion, describing it as “imperialist”, while Francisco avoided such language in his calls to peace and even came to ask Ukraine to raise the white flag. Francisco appointed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi as his peace envoy for Ukraine.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.
Jonah McKeown
Jonah McKeown is editor and producer of Podcasts of Catholic News Agency. He has a master’s degree from the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri and has worked as a writer, radio producer and cameraman.