Pope Leo offers Vatican for Ukraine peace talks

The new pope, Leo XIV, wants to host Ukraine peace talks after a recent summit in Istanbul failed, following Russia’s President Putin’s absence. The Vatican called the summit’s outcome “tragic” and said the Holy See is ready to bring the two sides together to end the war. Leo XIV, elected last week, has made peace in Ukraine a key priority, appealing to both leaders to negotiate, Politico has reported. The Vatican is also exploring a possible meeting between the pope and U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the upcoming papal inauguration, though scheduling remains uncertain.