Vatican tipped to host next round of Russia–Ukraine peace talks in mid-June — WSJ

A new round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine may take place in the Vatican as early as mid-June, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing informed sources. If confirmed, this would mark a significant step in the renewed diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing war.

According to the publication, the upcoming talks are expected to include a US delegation comprising the Secretary of State, acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg. The inclusion of such high-ranking American officials underscores Washington's renewed involvement in the peace process.

The initiative has been made possible in part by the new Pope, Leo XIV, who recently expressed his willingness to support a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The pontiff offered Vatican territory as a neutral venue for negotiations—an offer that was swiftly welcomed by US President Donald Trump.

On May 19, following a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump declared that talks between Moscow and Kyiv would begin “immediately.” He quickly notified Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb of the development.

Even before this announcement, the Vatican had been floated as a potential host for the next phase of negotiations. On May 20, the Italian government confirmed that Pope Leo XIV had formally agreed to serve as the host for the upcoming talks.

This potential round of negotiations follows a significant diplomatic breakthrough on May 16, when Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks since 2022 in Istanbul. During those discussions, both sides agreed to a prisoner exchange in a “1,000 for 1,000” format and signaled openness to continuing the dialogue. Notably, the possibility of a direct meeting between Presidents Putin and Zelensky was also discussed.

However, Ukrainian sources involved in the talks said that Russia had presented what they described as “unrealistic” demands in Istanbul. These reportedly included a condition that Ukraine withdraw from portions of its territory before any ceasefire could be implemented—an expectation Kyiv considers unacceptable.

By Tamilla Hasanova