Pope Leo XIV offers to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at the Vatican
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV has suggested that the Vatican could host high-level negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, as Istanbul talks were watered down following Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to come face to face with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin's statement on Friday, the supreme pontiff plans to "if necessary, provide the Vatican, the Holy See, as a direct meeting (place) between the two sides."
Parolin has also expressed his disappointment with the talks in Turkey, which took place on Friday.
"It's all tragic because we hoped that a process would begin, perhaps slowly, but with a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Instead, we are back to square one."
"Now we will see what to do, but the situation is very difficult, dramatic," Parolin added.
On Thursday, Pope Leo XIV received the head of Ukraine's Greek Catholic Church at the Vatican, who thanked the supreme pontiff for his call for a peaceful, negotiated resolution to Russia's war in Ukraine during one of his first audiences as pontiff.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia, said he invited the pope to visit Ukraine and handed him a list of Ukrainian prisoners currently held by Russia.
Under Pope Francis, the Vatican had actively supported prisoner exchanges and advocated for the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-occupied regions.
The Vatican did not issue a formal statement following the meeting, which marked one of the earliest such engagements for the new pope since his election on 8 May.
Since his appointment, Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly voiced his solidarity with Ukraine. During his first Sunday Angelus blessing and again this week while addressing pilgrims from Eastern Rite churches, he renewed his appeal for an end to the conflict.
'I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,' the pontiff said on Sunday. 'Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible. May all the prisoners be freed, and may the children return to their families.'
Parolin said on Thursday that it remained 'premature' to consider a papal visit to Kyiv, despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raising the possibility in his first phone call with the pope earlier this week.
While the Vatican traditionally maintains diplomatic neutrality, Pope Leo XIV has pledged to make 'every effort' to foster dialogue to end wars.
'The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies together, face to face, to talk to one another, so that peoples everywhere may once more find hope and recover the dignity they deserve, the dignity of peace,' he said on Wednesday.
Pope Leo XIV is set to be officially appointed during a Mass at the Vatican on Sunday, with Zelenskyy and US Vice President JD Vance expected to attend.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
What we know about Ukraine's drone strikes on airbases in Russia
Ukrainian security services conducted a massive drone attack against Russian military airbases on Sunday, striking thousands of kilometres from the front line in what President Volodymyr Zelensky said was their longest-range operation ever. The operation, code-named 'Spider's web', required months of preparation and the smuggling of drones into Russian territory. Here is what we know about the attacks, which occurred on the eve of talks in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine to explore the prospects for a ceasefire. Damage Ukraine has claimed significant damage but for now it is impossible to verify independently. A source in Ukraine's SBU security service said the coordinated attacks hit 41 aircraft used to 'bomb Ukrainian cities', citing the Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers and the A-50 radar detection and command aircraft. Russia's defence ministry confirmed that 'several aircraft caught fire' following a drone attack at bases in the regions of Murmansk and Irkutsk, located in the Russian Arctic and eastern Siberia. The fires were contained, the ministry said, and caused no casualties, adding that suspects had been 'arrested'. Ukrainian security services said they destroyed 34 percent of Russian strategic bombers carrying cruise missiles, claiming to have inflicted damages amounting to $7 billion. Modus operandi The 'Spider's web' operation was prepared for over a year and a half, the Ukrainian SBU source said, adding that it had required particularly complex logistics. Ukraine regularly launches drones to strike targets in Russia in response to the Russian invasion of 2022, but the modus operandi used this time was different. The Ukrainian security source said drones had been smuggled into Russia and hidden in wooden structures installed on trucks. The structures' roofs were then opened remotely to let the drones fly toward their targets. Photos shared by the SBU show numerous small black drones hidden in what appears to be transport containers. Russia's defence ministry confirmed that the drones were not launched from Ukrainian territory but 'in the immediate vicinity of the airbases'. Longest-range ever Zelensky on Sunday hailed the operation's 'brilliant' results in what he called 'our most long-range operation' in more than three years of war. Using 117 drones, Ukraine was able to reach regions thousands of kilometres from the front, when its attacks generally focus on areas close to its borders. Two of the airbases Ukraine said it had hit, Olenya and Belaya, are around 1,900 kilometres (1,180 miles) and 4,300 kilometres from Ukraine. The first is located in the Russian Arctic, the other in eastern Siberia. The Russian ministry said it successfully countered other attacks in the regions of Ivanovo and Ryazan as well as in Amur, near the border with China in the Russian Far East. Consequence and symbolism The consequences of the attacks on Russian military capabilities are difficult to estimate at this stage. Ukraine suffers from almost daily air attacks that have strained its air defence capabilities in recent weeks. Russian military bloggers lamented a 'black day for aviation' after the Ukrainian attack. Rybar, an account on the Telegram messaging platform that is close to the Russian military, called it a 'very heavy blow' and pointed to what it called 'serious errors' by Russian intelligence. But the symbolic significance is important for Ukraine, whose army has been facing setbacks on the front. Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, now an opposition figure, said there were 'no better arguments' for Ukraine on the eve of talks with Moscow in Istanbul.
France 24
4 hours ago
- France 24
Russia, Ukraine head to Istanbul for fresh peace talks
Urged on by US President Donald Trump, Moscow and Kyiv have opened direct negotiations for the first time since the early weeks of Russia's invasion but have yet to make significant progress towards an elusive agreement. Monday's talks come a day after Ukraine carried out one of its most brazen and successful attacks ever on Russian soil -- hitting dozens of strategic bombers parked at airbases thousands of kilometres behind the front line. At the first round of talks in Istanbul last month, they agreed a large-scale prisoner exchange and to swap notes on what their vision of a peace deal might look like. The second set of negotiations is scheduled to get underway at 1:00 pm (1000 GMT) at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, an Ottoman imperial house on the banks of the Bosphorus that is now a luxury five-star hotel. Russia says it will present a "memorandum" of its peace terms, having resisted pressure by Ukraine to send its demands in advance. Despite the flurry of diplomacy, the two sides remain far apart over a possible deal -- either for a truce or longer-term settlement. Outlining Kyiv's position ahead of the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refreshed his call for an immediate halt to the fighting. "First –- a full and unconditional ceasefire. Second –- the release of prisoners. Third -– the return of abducted children," he said Sunday in a post on social media. He also called for the sides to discuss a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The key issues can only be resolved by the leaders," Zelensky said. The Kremlin has repeatedly pushed back on that prospect, saying a Putin-Zelensky meeting could only happen after the negotiating delegations reach wider "agreements". Russia has questioned Zelensky's legitimacy throughout the war and repeatedly called for him to be toppled. Moscow says it wants to address the "root causes" of the conflict -- language typically used to refer to a mix of sweeping demands including limiting Ukraine's military, banning the country from joining NATO and massive territorial concessions. Kyiv and the West have rejected those calls and cast Russia's assault as nothing but an imperialist land grab. Tens of thousands have been killed since Russia invaded, with swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine destroyed and millions forced to flee their homes. War rages on Russia's top negotiator in Istanbul will be Vladimir Medinsky, an ideological Putin aide who led failed talks in 2022, has written school textbooks justifying the invasion and questioned Ukraine's right to exist. Ukraine's team will be led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, seen as a skilled and pragmatic negotiator, but who has been mired in domestic scandal over alleged abuse of power and a lack of transparency. "Diplomatic advisors" from Germany, France and Britain will be "on the ground... in close coordination with the Ukrainian negotiating team," a German government spokesperson said Sunday. Ukraine on Sunday said it had damaged some 40 strategic Russian bombers, worth $7 billion, in a major special operation after months of setbacks for Kyiv's military. Kyiv's security service said the plan, 18 months in the making, had involved smuggling drones into Russia which were then launched from near the airbases, thousands of kilometres away from the front lines. Russian troops have meanwhile been advancing on the ground, particularly in the northeastern Sumy region, where Putin ordered his forces to establish a "buffer zone" along the border. Ballistic strikes in the northeastern Kharkiv region on Monday injured at least six people, including a seven-year-old, and damaged a civilian business and a warehouse, Kharkiv Governor Oleg Synegubov said on Monday. Ahead of the talks, Russian officials have called for Ukraine to be cut off from Western military support and cede territory still controlled by its army. Ukraine has pushed Russia to agree a full, unconditional and immediate ceasefire -- saying a pause in the fighting is necessary to then discuss what a long-term settlement could look like. Kyiv has refused to formally give up the one-fifth of its territory controlled by Russia, though it has accepted that it may only be able to get some land back through diplomacy, not fighting. It also wants concrete Western-backed security guarantees -- like NATO protections or Western troops on the ground -- that have also been ruled out by Russia. © 2025 AFP
Euronews
10 hours ago
- Euronews
Thousands march in Budapest to protest 'transparency bill'
In Budapest, protesters gathered on Fővám Square Sunday afternoon before marching silently across the Freedom Bridge. The demonstration was a symbolic act against a draft law that critics say is designed to silence dissent and restrict access to the press and NGOs. "Our work is not subversion, but construction. It is not offence, but defence. Not betrayal, but service," stressed Viktor Szalóki, political director of aHang. "The government thinks it is dangerous to speak up for those who are not being heard. That I am working to ensure that everyone in Hungary lives in a healthy environment," said Enikő Tóth, the organisation's campaign director. Tóth said the bill's purpose is unmistakable: to regulate, intimidate and silence any organisation or citizen who supports civil society — whether by signing a petition, making a small donation, or volunteering. The transparency bill could go to a vote by mid-June. If passed, it could take effect three days afterwards. Euronews spoke to demonstrators at the protest. "Those in power don't care, they are working on other things. They are working to make everyone impossible. This arrogance of power, that thousands of billions of forints have to be protected at any cost – I think that's what it's all about," said an elderly man. "These protests are good to keep our spirits up", said a young girl. "We don't lose a little of our own hope, we strengthen it. In other words, even if there are no concrete consequences of the demonstration, so that a regulation is immediately changed because of it, we still reinforce each other a little here that it is still worth holding on," she explained. The march concluded at St. Gellért Square, where activists from aHang placed a large billboard-style display featuring portraits of government politicians on the construction barrier surrounding the Gellért Hotel, which is currently being renovated. The hotel is now owned by BDPST Zrt., a company linked to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's son in law István Tiborcz. The silent protests will continue Monday and Tuesday, with further demonstrations planned in other parts of Hungary. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) reported on Sunday that over a third of all Russian missile carriers have been hit in a coordinated drone attack aimed at different airfields in Russia located thousands of kilometres apart. More than 40 aircraft are known to have been hit, including the A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3, causing overall damage of more than €6 billion. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "Operation Spiderweb" had achieved "an absolutely brilliant result" which was "achieved solely by Ukraine." The Ukrainian president also shared more details on how the operation was carried out, explaining that 117 drones had been used, each with its own pilot. "The most interesting thing - and we can already say this publicly - is that the 'office' of our operation on Russian territory was located right next to the FSB (Federal Security Service) of Russia, in one of their regions,' he said in a post on Telegram. In a major blow to Russia's security services, Zelenskyy said Ukraine managed not only to execute the operation, but also to safely withdraw the people involved in it. They were operating "in different Russian regions - in three time zones." 'Our most long-range operation. Our people involved in preparing the operation were withdrawn from Russian territory in time." Zelenskyy said it took Kyiv "one year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution." He thanked the head of Ukraine's Security Service, General Vasyl Malyuk, and asked him to reveal the details and results of the operation to the public. "Of course, not everything can be revealed at this moment, but these are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in history books," he added. "Ukraine is defending itself, and rightly so – we are doing everything to make Russia feel the need to end this war. Russia started this war, Russia must end it," Zelenskyy wrote. Although Ukraine's Security service has not revealed more details at this stage, Ukrainian outlets are reporting exactly how the operation was executed, referencing SBU sources. According to these reports, first-person-view (FPV) drones were smuggled deep inside Russia and hidden inside trucks in mobile wooden cabins. The cabins' roofs were then opened remotely, and the drones proceeded to launch their attack on Russian military bombers. Russia's Irkutsk Governor, Igor Kobzev, confirmed that the drones that attacked a military base in Siberia's Sredniy were launched from inside a truck. In a post on Telegram, he said that the launch site had been secured and there was no further threat to people's lives. Russian outlets also reported that other attacks were launched in a similar manner, with drones emerging from the backs of trucks. Social media footage shared widely by Russian media appears to show the drones rising from inside containers, while panels lay discarded on the road. One clip appeared to show men climbing onto a truck in an attempt to intercept the drones. In a display of the planning process of "Operation Spiderweb" Ukraine's Security Service shared a photo on Telegram of SBU head General Vasyl Malyuk looking at photos of Russian bombers and the airfields. "Operation Spiderweb" is not the first unconventional operation to be carried out by Ukraine's Security Service. In October 2022, the SBU attacked Kerch bridge, which had been illegally built by Russia after its annexation of Crimea in 2014. The explosion, which Russian authorities said was caused by a truck bomb, badly damaged the bridge which links Russia-occupied Crimea and Russia. The targeting of Russian bombers, which have been carrying out massive missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, was previously considered almost unthinkable. Moscow had made sure to keep them well out of the range of Kyiv's weapons, both home-made and those supplied by allies. Olenya air base is located in Russia's Murmansk region, around 2,000 km from the border with Ukraine. Belaya air base is in Russia's Irkutsk region, in south-eastern Siberia and over 4,000 km east of the frontline. These two airfields were among the hardest-hit during Sunday's operation. Another notable aspect of the "Operation Spiderweb" was the choice of weapons. Kyiv used FPV drones, which are produced in Ukraine en masse and are widely used and appreciated by the military for their affordability. FPV drones normally only cost a few hundred dollars, while one Russian A50 radar detection aircraft, which was reportedly hit today among other planes, costs over €300 million. Ukraine's presidential advisor and former minister of strategic industries Oleksandr Kamyshin has said Ukrainian manufacturers have the capacity to produce over 5 million FPV drones per year.
