Russia's Lavrov casts doubt on Vatican as location for Ukraine talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cast doubt Friday on the Vatican as a potential place for peace talks with Ukraine, after the United States, Italy and the pope expressed hope the city-state could host negotiations.

"It would be a bit inelegant for Orthodox countries to discuss on Catholic ground issues related to eliminating root causes (of the conflict)," Lavrov said, accusing Kyiv of "destroying" the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and adding: "For the Vatican itself it would not be very comfortable to, in these circumstances, host delegations from Orthodox countries."