Yesterday, Pope Leo XIV asked for a global cease-fire on Christmas Day. He said he was “very sad” because “apparently Russia rejected a request” for one.
“I am asking everyone who wants to do the right thing to respect a day of peace, at least on the feast of the birth of our Savior,” Leo told reporters at his home in Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome.
In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine and has turned down pleas for a ceasefire, arguing it will only help Ukraine’s military, according to AFP.
The pope added, “It makes me very sad that Russia has apparently turned down a request for a truce.”
Leo remarked on conflicts in general, “I hope they will listen and there will be 24 hours of peace in the whole world.”
Ukraine pulled its troops out of a town in the east of the nation yesterday after severe fighting with Russian forces. Moscow’s constant attacks killed three people and left thousands without electricity in frigid winter weather.
There was little hint of a breakthrough soon after top negotiators from Russia and Ukraine met with US officials in Miami last weekend to try to reach an agreement to stop almost four years of fighting.
Earlier this month, Pope Leo met with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine.
When asked if he would go to Ukraine at Zelensky’s invitation, Leo subsequently answered, “I hope so,” but he also stated it was hard to determine when that trip would be possible.
He also claimed that trying to find peace in Ukraine without European diplomats was “unrealistic” and that US President Donald Trump’s peace plan may lead to a “huge change” in the transatlantic alliance.
About the Author
