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The new pope wants to organize peace talks in Ukraine, after a summit in Istanbul failed to unite the main actors in the conflict.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to show up for peace talks in Turkey, which he himself suggested, the Vatican called the outcome "tragic" and said Pope Leo XIV wants to make the Holy See available to host both sides in an effort to end the war, which has raged for more than three years.
"All this is tragic because we hoped it would be a process, perhaps slow, but with a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and instead we are back to square one," Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's top diplomat, told reporters on the sidelines of an event at the Vatican in Rome on Friday.
"Now we will see what to do, but the situation is difficult."
"The Pope plans to make the Vatican, the Holy See, available for a direct meeting between the two parties," said Parolin, Pope Leo's number two, according to the Ansa news agency.
Leo XIV, who was elected last week, has made it clear that the effort to achieve peace in Ukraine will be a top priority of his papacy. He spoke to President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone and referred to the "sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people" in his first Sunday blessing in St. Peter's Square.
In an audience with representatives of the Eastern Church on Wednesday, Leo urged the two leaders "with all his heart" to negotiate. "The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies face to face. Let us meet, let us talk, let us negotiate," adding that "those who make history are the peacemakers," the Pope said.
On Thursday, in his first post on X as pope, Leo called for peace, saying: “I would like this greeting of peace to resonate in your hearts, in your families and among all people, wherever they are, in every nation and throughout the world.”
His predecessor, Pope Francis, sent an envoy to Ukraine and Russia and worked to facilitate the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families and the exchange of prisoners of war. Francis defended Ukraine, although earlier in the conflict he had blamed NATO expansion.
Parolin also said the Vatican was working on a possible meeting with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance at Sunday's papal inauguration. Before Leo was elected pope, a social media account under the pope's name repeatedly criticized the Trump administration - and Vance in particular - for strict U.S. immigration policies.
Asked about a possible meeting between Leo and Vance, Parolin said that “I don’t know, the problem is that there are so many delegations; there is very little time and so they will meet each other if there is time. The protocol is working on that.” /Adapted from Politico Pamphlet/
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