Pope Leo told visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday that the Vatican is willing to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks, the Vatican said in a statement. The pope, meeting the Ukrainian leader for the second time in his two-month-old papacy,

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday and thanked him for the Vatican’s efforts to return children taken by Russia and again suggested the Vatican could host peace talks.

Pope Leo XIV met with Ukraine's Zelenskyy in Castel Gandolfo, reiterating Vatican’s offer to host Russia–Ukraine peace talks and called for return of kidnapped children.