Reuters: Kremlin does not see Vatican as a place for talks with Ukraine

Russia does not consider the Vatican for talks with Ukraine, photo: reuters.com

Russia does not see the Vatican as a realistic platform for negotiations with Ukraine, preferring Turkey or the Gulf states.

Reuters reports this with reference to three high-ranking sources in Russia.

According to the agency's interlocutors, the Vatican, as a centre of Catholicism located within a NATO and EU member state (Italy), does not inspire confidence in Moscow. In addition, due to Western sanctions, many Russian officials would not be able to physically travel to the Holy See.

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One of the interlocutors stated that the Kremlin does not consider the Vatican to be an influential force that could help resolve the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Instead, Russia sees Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman as potential platforms for negotiations. Putin has repeatedly expressed his approval of these countries' efforts as mediators.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that a meeting involving delegations from Russia, the US, the EU, the UK and Ukraine could take place in Turkey, the Vatican or Switzerland. The Vatican also confirmed the readiness of the new Pope Leo XIV to mediate.

However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the idea of negotiations in the Vatican «inelegant», arguing that Ukraine and Russia are Orthodox states.