Pope Francis has called for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the war caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In his traditional Christmas address, the Pope said that “courage is needed to open the door” to dialogue “in order to achieve a just and lasting peace” between the two sides.
His call came after a large-scale Russian attack on Ukrainian energy facilities on the same day, which Ukraine said involved at least 184 missiles and drones.
Earlier this year, Ukraine strongly rejected the pontiff’s call for Kyiv to negotiate an end to the war and “have the courage to raise the white flag.”
His message Urbi et Orbi (To the City and the World) also addressed other conflicts.
Addressing thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the 88-year-old Pope said: “Let the sound of weapons be silenced in war-torn Ukraine and beyond.”
“I invite every person and all people of all nations… to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sound of weapons and to overcome division,” he said.
Repeating his Christmas message from last year, Pope Francis also called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas.
“I am thinking of the Christian communities in Israel and Palestine, especially in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is extremely difficult,” he said.
He asked that “the door of dialogue and peace be open.”
The war in Gaza began after the Hamas group attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The militants killed about 1200 people and took 251 more hostages in Gaza. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is run by Hamas, more than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel’s offensive.
Earlier this week, the Pope twice referred to Israel’s attacks as “cruelty,” which drew a sharp rebuke from Israel, which called the remarks “particularly disappointing.”
Pope Francis also said that his thoughts are with the Christian communities in Lebanon and Syria, where rebels recently overthrew Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after 24 years in power. The Christian population in Syria has declined since the start of the war in 2011, and according to some reports, it is now only a fraction of the pre-war number of 1.5 million.
Syria’s minorities have expressed fears about their future in the country after Islamist rebels came to power – although the leading rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has said that all faiths will be protected.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8en1jn3n5o
