The Vatican offered to host negotiations between Russia and Ukraine

The Holy See is ready to provide a place for talks between Russia and Ukraine, said Vatican Foreign Minister Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher. His words are quoted by the Italian news agency Ansa.

The archbishop said that since the outbreak of hostilities, the Holy See and the Pope have always been open to such a possibility, but there has been no response from the parties to the conflict.

“And if it were appropriate and necessary to offer and provide this place, as we have done in the past, the Holy Father would take it very positively if the request came from both sides with good intentions and in the spirit of seeking peace, dialogue and ending the war ”, — said Gallagher.

As it became known in November, Pope Francis involved in the exchange of prisoners from the Russian and Ukrainian sides. Russian Ambassador to the Vatican Alexander Avdeev said that the release of Ukrainian prisoners by the Russian side, or their exchange, is carried out taking into account the lists that Pope Francis regularly provides.

At the end of September, the head of the Catholic Church said that he had talked with Avdeev about the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, and also discussed the possibility of contact with President Vladimir Putin. He noted that representatives of Ukraine came to him with a list of 300 names of prisoners.

In addition, in September, before representatives of the leadership, civil society and diplomatic corps in Kazakhstan, the Pope called for the establishment of a general political dialogue and the revival of the “spirit of Helsinki” to create a more stable and peaceful world. In October, he called on the presidents of Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict and move towards a peaceful dialogue.