MOSCOW: Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov solid doubt on Friday (Might 23) over the Vatican as a possible location for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, saying that the Holy See itself would discover it uncomfortable to host two primarily Orthodox Christian nations.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated on Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV had confirmed his willingness to host talks throughout a telephone name along with her. The Vatican press workplace declined to remark additional.
Pope Leo, the primary US-born pontiff, stated quickly after his election this month that the Vatican might act as a mediator in international conflicts, with out particularly mentioning Russia and Ukraine.
Lavrov, talking on the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow, on Friday performed down the thought of the Vatican as the following venue and the Kremlin stated there was not yet any agreement on where a new round of talks would take place.
“Many individuals are fantasising about when and the place it (the assembly) will happen. We haven’t any concepts proper now,” stated Lavrov.
“However think about the Vatican as a venue for negotiations. It might be a bit inelegant for Orthodox international locations to make use of a Catholic platform to debate points on how one can take away the basis causes (of the battle).
“I believe it might not be very snug for the Vatican itself to host delegations from two Orthodox international locations in these circumstances,” Lavrov added.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators held their first direct talks in additional than three years earlier this month in Istanbul.
