Italy ready to help if Vatican accepts Trump's plan for mediating Ukraine-Russia talks

Italy has backed American President Donald Trump's suggestion that the Vatican could mediate talks on negotiating a ceasefire in Ukraine, while it seems inclined to withdraw itself from the process.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said Italy was ready to enable contacts and work towards peace” in Ukraine, and that “looked positively at” what the Pope said was ready to wait for talks at the Vatican.

In fact, there is still no strong agreement for further discussions: last Friday's meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul brought additional demands from Moscow, no progress.

Pope Leo said last week that the Vatican was “always ready to unite its enemies and that it would make every attempt “for peace to prevail.

But the Holy See says that the idea of waiting, or even mediation, of the negotiations Trump suggested as an opportunity is more like hope at the moment than any concrete plan.