The Vatican has expressed hope for a sincere dialogue between Ukraine and Russia to achieve a just and lasting peace. Following a conversation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See called for peace negotiations without preconditions and urged the release of prisoners.
President Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with Cardinal Parolin on 14 March, during which he extended his well wishes to Pope Francis and discussed Ukraine’s position on a ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States. The Vatican reiterated its prayers for peace and urged both parties to take the opportunity for dialogue that is not constrained by conditions. The Holy See also called for efforts to ensure the release of prisoners.
Ukraine had previously joined a ceasefire initiative proposed by the United States during talks in Jeddah on 11 March. The agreement included a 30-day temporary ceasefire, with the possibility of extension by mutual agreement, but only if Russia accepted and implemented it simultaneously. The United States was tasked with informing Moscow that reciprocity would be key to achieving peace.
On 13 March, US President Donald Trump announced that he had held what he described as productive negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The same day, Putin stated that he was ready for a 30-day ceasefire but mentioned that “certain nuances” needed to be discussed.
President Zelenskyy dismissed Putin’s remarks as predictable and suggested that the Russian leader was preparing to reject the proposal but was reluctant to communicate this to Donald Trump. Later, Moscow claimed that Putin had sent additional signals to Trump regarding the ceasefire, hinting at further conditions that Russia might impose.
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