Vatican willing to host peace talks: Pope Leo tells Ukraine’s Zelenskyy

Pope Leo told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a meeting on Wednesday that the Vatican is willing to host Russian-Ukraine peace talks, the Vatican said in a statement.

The Pope also discussed with Zelenskyy “the urgent need for a just and lasting peace," the statement said.

Zelenskyy and Leo met in Castel Gandolfo, a small Italian hill town not far from Rome,  where the Pope is taking a two-week vacation.

The Ukrainian leader is in Italy to attend a conference on July 10-11 dedicated to Ukraine’s recovery and long-term reconstruction following Russia’s invasion.

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