Amid this ongoing conflict, a new figure has stepped forward with an offer that could change the course of events. Pope Leo XIV, the recently elected leader of the Catholic Church, has expressed his willingness to host peace talks in the Vatican.

On the campaign trail last year, Donald Trump promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war. But in the five months since taking office, the United States president has struggled to get the two sides to agree to a ceasefire.

After presiding over his official installation Mass after his election to the papacy, Pope Leo XIV held a private meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, shortly after the two had a phone call amid ongoing ceasefire talks.

The Vatican said that around 40,000 people were on hand for the audience, which came just days after an estimated 200,000 people attended the inaugural Mass on Sunday for history’s first American pope.

ROME — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that the Vatican could be a venue for Russia-Ukraine peace talks, taking up the Holy See’s longstanding offer after Pope Leo XIV vowed to personally make “every effort” to help end the war.