The Vatican is available as a venue for possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Pope Leo XIV said Wednesday.

“The Pope reaffirmed his willingness to welcome the representatives of Russia and Ukraine to the Vatican for negotiations,” according to a Vatican statement following a meeting between Leo and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The US born pope spoke with the Ukrainian president “about the ongoing conflict and the urgency of finding just and lasting peace,” and during the meeting, they also “reaffirmed the importance of dialogue as the preferred path to ending hostilities.

“The Pope expressed sorrow for the victims and renewed his prayers and closeness to the Ukrainian people, encouraging every effort aimed at the release of prisoners and the search for shared solutions,” the statement concluded.