Vatican calls for dialogue on Ukraine, end to hostilities — diplomatic service head

MOSCOW, August 25. /TASS/. The Vatican calls for a genuine dialogue on the Ukrainian settlement with the support of the international community and an end to hostilities, Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations Paul Richard Gallagher told reporters following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Gallagher stressed the importance of clearly stating the need to end the conflict, adding that during the conversation with Russia’s top diplomat, he reiterated Pope Leo XIV’s call for an end to hostilities and the beginning of genuine negotiations with the support of the international community.

The position of the Holy See remains clear: the conflict cannot be resolved by military means, Gallagher noted, adding that it is necessary to create conditions for serious political and diplomatic work. He also emphasized the fact that the longer the conflict drags on, the more difficult it will be to reach an adequate resolution, with the suffering of the population continuing and intensifying.