Pope Leo told visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday that the Vatican was willing to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

Pope Leo XIV welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the pope’s summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, about an hour south of Rome, to discuss peacemaking efforts in Ukraine, which has been ravaged by war since Russia’s invasion of the country in February 2022.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Pope Leo XIV. They discussed the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, The Guardian reports. The Vatican said that Zelenskyy and the Pope "discussed the ongoing conflict and the urgent need for a just and lasting peace.