Pope Leo XIV said on the 22nd, two days before the fourth anniversary of the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, that "peace cannot be postponed."
According to foreign media including Reuters and Agence France-Presse (AFP), the pope told the faithful and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican that "four years have passed since the war in Ukraine began," adding, "As everyone can see, my heart is with the grim situation there." He continued, "There have been too many victims, too many lives and families have been shattered, and there has been immense destruction and unspeakable suffering," adding, "Every war is a wound inflicted on all humanity and leaves death, destruction, and scars that span generations."
The pope said, "We must not delay peace," calling it "an urgent task that must take root in our hearts and be carried out through responsible decisions." He added, "The gunfire must fall silent, the bombardment must stop, an immediate cease-fire must be achieved, and dialogue for peace must be strengthened."
Pope Leo XIV also noted on the 25th of last month, shortly after the first three-way talks among the United States, Russia, and Ukraine, that it "is having an increasingly severe impact on civilians. I urge everyone to focus on efforts to end the war."