The Italian meloni ready to help if the Vatican accepts the Trump war mediation plan

Italy supported President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the Vatican could mediate on the negotiations of a cease-fire in Ukraine, while he seems eager to step back from the process itself.

The office of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that Italy was ready to “facilitate contacts and work towards peace” in Ukraine and that he “saw positively” what he said was the Pope’s will to welcome talks to the Vatican.

In fact, there is not yet a firm agreement on additional discussions: last Friday’s meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul has provided additional Moscow requests, not progress.

Pope Leo said that last week, the Vatican was “always ready” to bring the enemies together and that he “would do everything possible for peace to prevail.

But the Holy See says that the idea of ​​accommodation, even mediation, speaks – that Trump suggested was an option – is more hope for the moment than any concrete plan.

If direct commitment continues, Ukraine seems open to the concept of the Vatican as a host.

Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X Tuesday that he had spoken to Giorgia Meloni, including “possible platforms for interviews with the Russians”.

The Italian Prime Minister said, he said, “as always, cool ideas”, although he also raised Turkey and Switzerland as alternative places.

The Kremlin could prefer to stay in Türkiye. He talks about a process called “Istanbul Plus”, styling any discussion as follow -up on the agreement initially discussed in Türkiye shortly after the large -scale invasion.

These terms, which included Ukraine, considerably reducing its own soldiers, would now represent the capitulation of kyiv.

But Russia has added more: the “more” part means recognition of its annexation of four partially occupied regions of Ukraine as well as Crimea.

The real place has little for the Kremlin: all he wants is that the discussion is on the terms of Vladimir Putin.

The prospect of significant progress, without detour, looks thin.

But could the Vatican lend an additional moral authority in the push for a kind of compromise?

The Catholic Church has history to help mediate conflicts and has already been involved in talks to free prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.

His real contribution is not clear, however, because others fulfilled the same role.

On the other hand, the Vatican – in particular any involvement of the new Pope – would introduce a different tone to the procedure.

His silent style could not be further away from Donald Trump’s publications on social networks and his brutal public confrontation with Zelensky in the oval office. And the setting already seems to have done wonders about the relationship of men.

It was during the funeral of Pope Francis that they were broken deeply in the conversation, approach, inside the Basilica of St Peter.

The Vatican is proud of his diplomacy: this is why, when others broke up the ties with Moscow after starting to bomb Ukraine, the Catholic Church sent a Cardinal Envoy to speak to the Kremlin. It had no impact.

Pope Francis, like Donald Trump, has always openly avoided the identification of Russia as the aggressor. The Vatican sources say that it had to keep the door for Ajar dialogue, even when it seemed desperate.

But Francis has more upset the Ukrainians by suggesting that Russia had been “provoked” by NATO in its invasion. He then agreed that he could be wise for Kyiv to “raise the white flag” and surrender.

For Kyiv, Pope Leo could be a preferable potential peace broker. He is recorded as a bishop denouncing the invasion of Russia as an imperialist war and condemning the crimes against humanity committed by Putin’s troops.

It is unlikely that it disconcerted the Kremlin, if the Vatican has ever organized talks.

“Putin can explain his position to the pope, he believes that it is right. In his mind, it is Ukraine which is not serious about peace talks,” said Tatiana Stanovaya, of Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.

“I don’t believe a second that the Pope could affect Putin’s understanding in any way.”

At this stage, Russia has no major pressure to give ground: all of Donald Trump’s speech by punishing Putin for his intransigence has transformed in exchange with Russia. Provide incentives, not threatening sanctions.

It is true that Moscow wanted much more.

“They want Zelensky to be withdrawn and so that the United States and the EU stop military aid, but on this subject, the United States was on the side of Ukraine-from the Russian point of view,” said Tatiana Stanovaya.

Russia is therefore ready to play long game – which does not imply compromise.

“If the pope could help put pressure on Ukraine, Putin would not have a problem (with his involvement),” she said.

It seems to be the real problem here. It is much deeper than if the two parties eat Meze or the antipasti between hypothetical cycles of fresh talks.