"People Are Fantasising": Russia Brushes Aside Vatican-Mediated Ukraine Peace Talks

Moscow has played down the idea of the Vatican being a potential location for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, calling it a "fantasy" that many people are talking about. Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov doubted that such a venue would be finalised, saying that the Holy See itself would find it uncomfortable to host two mainly Orthodox Christian nations.

Earlier this month, Pope, Leo XIV - the first American pontiff - had said that the Vatican could soon act as a mediator in global conflicts. He said so soon after becoming Pope. Within days the US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Pope.

Donald Trump too, after his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, declared on his Truth Social account that "The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations."

On Tuesday, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she spoke with the Pope, who has confirmed his willingness to host the talks. The Vatican however, has declined to comment on the issue.

MEDIATION BY THE VATICAN 'INELEGANT'?

"Many people are fantasising about when and where it (the meeting) will take place. We don't have any ideas right now," Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said.

Calling such a mediation between Orthodox nations as "inelegant", Mr Lavrov said, "Imagine the Vatican as a venue for such negotiations. It would be a bit inelegant for Orthodox countries to use a Catholic platform to discuss issues on how to remove the root causes" of the war in Ukraine. He added that "I think it would not be very comfortable for the Vatican itself."

Donald Trump, who has been aiming to be seen as a messiah of peace globally, said this week that "Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War. The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of."

As the United States pressured both Moscow and Kyiv to hold talks directly, negotiators from both nations held their first direct talks in Istanbul this months. This was the first time that the two countries have engaged in bilateral talks.

PUTIN's CONDITIONS, ZELENSKY'S REBUTTAL

Vladimir Putin, whose military now controls more than 20 per cent or a fifth of Ukraine's total area and are advancing steadily, has made his conditions for a ceasefire crystal clear - First, Ukraine won't, and shall never in future, join NATO; Second, Crimea to be recognised solely as Russian territory; and Third, Russia must be allowed to keep all the land it has taken control of during the war, and be handed over the entire territory of the four Ukrainian regions Russia claims.

To this, Mr Lavrov added that Moscow would never allow Russian-speakers in Ukraine to remain under the rule of what he called a "junta" led by President Zelensky, who Moscow considers a "dictator".

Upping his attack on Zelensky, the Russian foreign minister added that for talks to succeed, it would be a "good idea" for Ukraine to "hold Presidential elections". This, he said, would allow Moscow to sign an "eventual peace deal" with someone widely regarded as "legitimate".

Ukraine has, till now, unequivocally rejected these conditions. President Zelensky has also dismissed the Moscow-backed idea that his presidency is not legitimate as "Russian propaganda".

President Zelensky's five-year-term in office expired in May 2024, but the war was on, and Ukraine was already under martial law - and still remains so, which suspends the normal election cycle. Ukraine says the next election can only be held after the war is over.

Kyiv has hit back saying that the Kremlin, given Russia's own tightly-controlled political system, is in no position to preach or criticise Ukraine's decision.

"We just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace," President Putin stressed, as he urged Kyiv for "compromises" without directly naming Ukraine or President Zelensky.