New Delhi, May 28 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has turned down US President Donald Trump's proposal to host the next round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks at the Vatican, despite earlier interest from Pope Leo XIV. The idea, floated by the Pope and publicly endorsed by Trump, now appears to be off the table after resistance from the Kremlin.

"The Russians didn't want to go there," said Special Envoy Keith Kellogg during an appearance on Fox & Friends on Tuesday (May 27). He suggested Geneva could be a potential alternative for future negotiations.

The timeline for a new round of talks remains uncertain. Russia has yet to formally respond to the US-backed peace framework, with its foreign ministry stating Tuesday that it was still "...