"We must always seek a ceasefire. The violence, the many deaths, must stop. Let's see how they can come to an agreement," Leo XIV said.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin hold talks in Alaska on Friday, focused on the U.S. president's push to seal a ceasefire deal on Ukraine but with a last-gasp offer from Putin of a possible face-saving nuclear accord on the table too.

The US president is joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and special envoy Steve Witkoff. WATCH: Air truce floated as possible outcome of Trump-Putin summit One suggestion that has come up in the run-up to the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is the idea of an air truce,