In a Kremlin statement, President Vladimir Putin and Pope Leo XIV spoke on the phone but did not give a date.
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MOSCOW, June 4 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked Pope Leo for offering to help resolve the Ukrainian conflict, Kiev intended to “escalate” the war, the Kremlin said Wednesday.
A Kremlin statement said they spoke on the phone but did not give a date. President Donald Trump said the Pope has offered to host negotiations for the Russian Ukraine at the Vatican.
“We are grateful for their preparation for solving the crisis, especially for their readiness to help them participate in solving the Vatican’s difficult humanitarian issues,” the statement said.
Putin emphasized that “the Kiev administration is relying on escalating conflicts and is committing disruptions to civil infrastructure sites on Russian territory,” the statement said, describing the actions as terrorism.
The Kremlin says it must address the “root cause” of the conflict, referring to Russia’s demand that Ukraine adopt a neutral position and NATO exclude expansion into the East.
Russia has been trying to build a good connection with the new Pope and his predecessor, Francis, especially on humanitarian issues such as family reunions.
However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other officials have said the Vatican is not a suitable place for peace negotiations between the two Orthodox Christian countries.
The Kremlin announced progress in a direct meeting this week on trading prisoners with Ukrainian negotiators and returning the bodies of soldiers.
The Russian statement hoped that the Vatican would “play a more active role” in pursuing Ukrainian religious freedom from members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which have historical ties to Russia.
Ukrainian authorities have launched criminal cases against many clergymen due to suspected sympathy for Moscow. The Kiev-based Ukrainian Orthodox Church grew in Ukraine during the war.
