Possible Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in the Vatican, which have been discussed in recent days, would require "very intensive preparations" and participants authorized to negotiate a ceasefire, a spokesman for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said today.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Tuesday evening that the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, had confirmed the Vatican's willingness to host such talks, a possibility she said was viewed positively by US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine's European allies.
The idea has been gaining popularity since Pope Leo XIV offered his mediation to warring parties around the world last week.
"It is currently a bit speculative to talk about a date or formats" for a possible meeting, spokesman Stefan Cornelius said at a regular press conference in Berlin.
According to him, the priority is to have serious talks and that the delegation, whoever it is, also has the power to negotiate a ceasefire.
"I think such a meeting requires very intensive preparation," the spokesman added.
Talks between Ukrainians and Russians in Istanbul on Friday, the first since 2022, failed to produce a ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and its allies, while attacks on the ground continued.
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