Pope Francis has called for a “negotiation” to end the war in Ukraine in a Christmas Day message where he appealed for weapons to be laid down in global conflicts and reconciliation between enemies.
The 88-year-old pontiff’s remarks came hours after a “massive” aerial attack by Russia and follow his consistent push for a negotiated peace settlement to end the war in Ukraine. Months of increased bombardment by Russia has left Ukraine in a precarious position as the war continues into a third winter.
“May the sound of arms be silenced in war-torn Ukraine!” the pope said during his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the city and to the world”) address and blessing. “May there be the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
In the past the pope has even suggested Ukraine should have the “courage of the white flag,” remarks that were criticized by Kyiv, although relations between the Vatican and Ukraine have improved. Ukraine’s President Volodmyr Zelensky met the pope for a third time in October and thanked the Holy See earlier for its help to secure the release of Ukrainian prisoners.
A peace deal to end the Ukraine war has become a more likely prospect following the re-election of President Donald Trump who has pledged to end the conflict, while Zelensky has recently signaled a willingness to enter into negotiations to end the war. While Francis has not laid out a detailed position on what a peace deal would look like in Ukraine, the Holy See’s foreign minister has said the position is that they respect the “territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
Source: CNN
