The Vatican has expressed its readiness for any mediation that could help peace in Ukraine, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of the Holy See, said, according to Vatican News. As noted, the other day Parolin held a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during which he repeated the Pope's call for an immediate cease-fire.

"I called for an end to the fighting and to follow the path of negotiations to resolve the conflict. I insisted on respect for civilians and humanitarian corridors. I also reiterated what the Pope said last Sunday during the Angel of the Lord prayer about the Holy See's full readiness for any mediation that can help peace in Ukraine," Cardinal Parolin said.

According to him, there is now a need for large-scale political and diplomatic initiatives that will achieve a ceasefire and the beginning of negotiations to find a non-violent solution to the situation. The cardinal stressed that the Holy See is ready to do all it can in this sense.

He added that the Holy See's position is one that the Pope has repeated many times: strongly "no" to war, war is madness, it must be stopped.

"Words are important, and to call what is happening in Ukraine a military operation is not to recognize the reality of the facts. We are facing a war that unfortunately reaps numerous civilian casualties, as all wars do," he said.

Parolin said it is never too late to return to the steps of peace and find understanding.