ROME, Italy (AFP) — Pope Leo XIV has offered to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks in a gesture welcomed by United States and European leaders, Italy’s Prime Minister Georgia Meloni said on Monday.

US President Donald Trump and a number of European leaders discussed the offer in a call after Trump spoke with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Meloni said in a statement.

She said “the availability of the holy father to welcome the talks at the Vatican was judged positively.”

European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Tuesday called for the US to take “strong action” against Russia if Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

“America said that if Russia doesn’t agree on an unconditional ceasefire, then there are going to be consequences. So we want to see those consequences, also from the US side,” Kallas said at a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels.

China said on Tuesday it backed direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, after Trump announced the two would “immediately” start peace talks after he spoke with Putin.

“China supports all efforts aimed at achieving peace,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

Trump framed his two-hour conversation on Monday as a breakthrough as the Republican seeks an elusive deal to end the conflict that he promised on the campaign trail to solve within 24 hours.

But Putin struck a more reserved tone, saying he was ready to work with Kyiv on a memorandum towards ending the war Moscow launched in February 2022 but insisting on compromises on both sides.