28 April 2021, Wednesday, 14:06 148

Zelenskyy For Holding Meeting With Putin At Vatican

Редактор: Daria Zubkova

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would like to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vatican.

He announced this in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"There has been no real direct communication between Ukraine and Russia for a long time. This, of course, does not contribute to constructive negotiations. Therefore, it seems to me that the meeting, for a start, should take place on a territory that embodies peace and dialogue. In my opinion, the right place for conducting an extremely difficult dialogue about peace will help resolve the issue," he said.

When asked by a journalist about whether it could be Rome or the Vatican, Zelenskyy answered in the affirmative.

“Yes, perhaps it could be the optimal place from all points of view. The Vatican is really the ideal place for a dialogue about peace,” he said.

According to the head of state, the Holy See is a global moral authority, since it is impartial and inspires confidence of all parties to the conflict.

“The Apostolic Capital has often been addressed in history to resolve conflicts between states and develop a peaceful future. This is both authority, and a sincere desire to help, and a guarantee of responsibility. The Pope is by his vocation a prophet of peace. In this, the Vatican differs from other world players: it remains an exclusively moral force and always acts in a disinterested manner, with no military, political or economic interests. A mediator with such authority can provide the confidence that our attempts to reach an agreement lack," he said.

At the same time, Zelenskyy added that the meeting place should inspire confidence on both sides.

"Then it will be effective and we can really speak to the point," he said.

The agenda of the negotiations and the date of the meeting, according to the President, will become clear when direct consultations begin between the Office of the President of Ukraine and the Administration of the President of Russia.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Ukraine is asking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to mediate negotiations between Zelenskyy and Putin.