Pope Leo has stressed the importance of Europe’s involvement in US efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine , while suggesting that Italy specifically could play the role of mediator.

Russia and the US failed to make progress towards a peace deal for Ukraine during talks on Tuesday, with Vladimir Putin accusing Europe of “preventing the US administration from achieving peace on Ukraine”.

Speaking to reporters onboard the papal flight as he returned on Tuesday from a trip to Turkey and Lebanon , Leo said: “It is clear that, on the one hand, the president of the United States is thinking he can promote a peace plan that he would like to carry out and that, at least at first, is without Europe.

“But Europe’s presence is important, and that first proposal was also modified because of wh

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