Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Monday that Pope Francis has reaffirmed his willingness to host peace negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine, signaling renewed Vatican engagement in efforts to broker a ceasefire amid rising global calls for diplomacy.
Speaking at the G7 summit in Italy, Meloni said she had recently spoken directly with the pontiff, who expressed his readiness to use the Vatican as a neutral venue for meaningful talks between Russia and Ukraine. “His Holiness confirmed to me that the Holy See remains open and willing to support any genuine peace effort,” Meloni stated.
The announcement comes as diplomatic channels remain largely stalled and the war drags into its third year with no decisive military breakthrough. Russian forces have stepped up attacks in eastern Ukraine, while Kyiv continues to press Western allies for more military and humanitarian assistance. Efforts to reach a ceasefire through negotiations in Switzerland and Turkey have so far failed to gain traction.
Pope Francis, who has long advocated for peace and condemned the suffering of civilians in the war, has previously offered Vatican mediation. However, both Moscow and Kyiv have appeared skeptical of Vatican involvement. Ukraine has insisted any negotiations must begin with a full Russian withdrawal, while the Kremlin has shown little interest in dialogue that could require territorial concessions.
Still, Meloni said she believes the Pope’s renewed offer may provide a diplomatic “window of opportunity” at a moment when war fatigue is rising in both Europe and the United States. “There is a clear need for moral leadership and credible mediation, and the Vatican could play that role,” she said.
The Vatican’s neutrality and humanitarian track record have made it a potential venue for backchannel diplomacy, although it has limited leverage over the warring sides. Nonetheless, the gesture has been welcomed by some international observers, who see it as a sign that Europe is taking a more active role in pushing for peace.
“The Pope’s involvement offers a rare moral voice in an increasingly geopolitical conflict,” said Nathalie Tocci, director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali in Rome. “It may not yield immediate results, but it keeps the idea of diplomacy alive.”
In recent months, Pope Francis has met with diplomats and representatives from both Russia and Ukraine, including hosting the wives of Ukrainian soldiers and victims of Russian attacks. He has called the war a “defeat for humanity” and has urged leaders on all sides to prioritize peace over political calculation.
Meloni emphasized that the peace initiative must be pursued carefully and with the full support of both parties. “No peace process can be imposed from the outside,” she said. “But we must be ready when the time comes.”
The announcement also comes amid a flurry of international engagement surrounding the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to hold separate calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while Switzerland is hosting a parallel summit involving EU and NATO states.
Ukrainian officials responded cautiously to Meloni’s statement, with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba saying Kyiv “respects the Vatican’s humanitarian position” but remains focused on peace terms that ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Kremlin has not officially commented on the Pope’s offer, but Russian media reported that Vatican intermediaries have maintained informal contact with Moscow’s diplomatic corps.
As the war grinds on with immense civilian suffering and little sign of a military resolution, Meloni’s remarks suggest the Vatican could yet emerge as a symbolic and strategic platform for eventual peace efforts—if and when both sides are ready to engage.
For now, the Pope’s renewed willingness to host peace talks stands as a hopeful, albeit fragile, gesture in a conflict that continues to devastate Ukraine and destabilize global security.
Source: Reuters
