Russian-Ukranian talks in Vatican ‘unrealistic’ – Lavrov

FILE: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (Photo By Kremlin.ru/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

By ANSA, Philippine News Agency

ROME – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said over the weekend that Moscow was unlikely to take up Pope Leo XIV’s offer to take part in peace talks with Ukraine in the Vatican.

Tass quoted Lavrov as saying a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in the Vatican was “unrealistic.”
“It would be a little inelegant for Orthodox countries to discuss issues related to eliminating the root causes (of the war) on Catholic ground,” Lavrov said.
“It would not be very comfortable for the Vatican itself to host delegations from Orthodox countries in these circumstances.

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On Tuesday, Pope Leo expressed willingness to host in the Vatican the next round of negotiations to try to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.