Kremlin denies agreement on Ukraine discussions in Vatican

(MENAFN) There is currently no confirmed plan to hold negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in the Vatican, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. His remarks followed a Wall Street Journal report claiming that delegations from both nations were scheduled to meet in the Vatican in mid-June. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had also stated that Pope Leo XIV expressed willingness to host the dialogue.

Peskov emphasized that any such decision must be mutually agreed upon, and at this point, “no decision has been made” regarding the location of future talks.

Last week, Moscow and Kiev resumed direct negotiations in Istanbul—the first since Ukraine walked away from peace discussions in 2022. The session led to a planned large-scale prisoner exchange and agreement to continue talks.

During the discussions, Ukraine reportedly called for an immediate ceasefire—a request Russia refused, citing concerns that Ukraine could use the pause to regroup and rearm its forces.

According to Reuters, Russia also asked Ukraine to withdraw troops from all territories it now considers part of Russia, including Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye, which held referendums and were incorporated into Russia in 2022. Russia had previously demanded a Ukrainian retreat from the Kursk Region as well, which was recently reclaimed by Russian forces and visited by President Vladimir Putin.

Peskov added that President Putin plans to visit Donetsk and Lugansk in the future, although such trips will require time to coordinate.

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