**Pope Leo XIV Receives List of Ukrainian POWs, Calls for Peace**
In a significant move, Pope Leo XIV has been handed a list of Ukrainian soldiers in Russian captivity during a ceremony at the Vatican. The list was personally given to him by a representative of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) families.
The ceremony took place during the Jubilee of Eastern Churches held from May 12-14. Pope Leo XIV expressed his support for the people of Ukraine, calling for a true and lasting peace. “Let us do everything we can to bring about a true peace, a just and lasting peace, as soon as possible,” he said.
The Ukrainian delegation present in the Vatican included the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election. This is not the first time that Pope Leo XIV has spoken out against Russia’s war against Ukraine. While serving as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, he condemned Russia’s actions in 2022.
**Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks**
The transfer of the list comes as Ukraine and Russia are set to hold peace talks in Istanbul on May 15. The talks aim to achieve “sustainable peace” by addressing the root causes of the conflict rather than a ceasefire, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
However, the decision by President Vladimir Putin not to attend the talks has been met with criticism from some officials. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna described it as a “slap in the face”. The US and European officials have reportedly convinced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that attending the peace talks would reflect positively on Kyiv.
**Other Developments**
Ukrainian forces have downed 62 out of 100 Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia overnight. The operation was carried out in a western region bordering Belarus, to disrupt arms and equipment shipments to Russian forces stationed at Ukraine’s northeastern border.
Russia has also suspended airport operations more than 200 times since January, with the highest number of closures recorded this year.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has expressed optimism about the peace talks, saying that there is a window of opportunity this week and in the next two weeks to bring the issue of Ukraine to a better place.
The international community continues to watch the developments closely as Ukraine and Russia seek to achieve a lasting peace.
