Putin Reportedly Won't Attend Ukraine Peace Talks in Vatican

According to Bloomberg, Russian President Vladimir Putin will not participate in peace talks on Ukraine in the Vatican due to security concerns. The Kremlin prefers negotiations at a technical level in Istanbul. These talks previously took place on March 16. Bloomberg sources indicate that Putin views Turkey as a suitable mediator for discussing the terms of a potential peace agreement. The U.S. has reportedly signaled to the Kremlin the inadvisability of participating in consultations involving officials adhering to a "hard line" regarding Putin's aide, Vladimir Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation at the Istanbul talks in 2022. According to political analyst Serhiy Markov, Putin will not visit Italy, a NATO country, due to security risks. He also believes Russia does not consider the Vatican a neutral party in the conflict, as the Russian Orthodox Church views the Holy See as a historical rival in Ukraine.