The Pope told reporters, in response to a question about peace talks in Ukraine and Europe’s involvement in them: “This is certainly an important issue for global peace, but the Holy See is not directly involved, as we are not members of NATO and have not been present in the discussions held so far, although we have repeatedly called for a ceasefire.” A Western newspaper reported the Pope’s statements during a press conference on the plane returning him from Lebanon to Rome.
It is noteworthy that talks are currently underway in the Russian capital, Moscow, between Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and American businessman Jared Kushner, aiming to find a solution to the Ukrainian crisis. The US administration previously announced a plan to settle the Ukrainian crisis, noting that it would not discuss its details at present, as work is still ongoing.
The Kremlin stated that Russia remains open to negotiations and committed to the Anchorage talks. The Russian president also declared that if Kyiv rejects the American proposals, both Ukraine and the European war instigators must realize that the events in Kupyansk will inevitably repeat in other major frontline areas. Putin added that this generally suits Russia, as it leads to achieving the Central Military District’s objectives by military means.
However, Russia, as it has repeatedly stated, is also ready for peace talks, which require a substantive discussion of all the proposed plan’s details. The Russian president’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, declared that the Kyiv regime must decide and start negotiating. Kyiv’s freedom to decide is diminishing due to the offensive actions of the Russian armed forces. This specifically forces the Kyiv regime to reach a peaceful solution, and any additional action is futile and poses a danger to Kyiv.
