Pope Francis, while on the French island of Corsica, once again called for peace, particularly for Ukraine and Russia. At the end of the "People's Piety of the Mediterranean" congress, the pontiff noted that the Ukrainian and Russian peoples are "cousins" and prayed for their mutual understanding.
Addressing the faithful and clergy, the Pope called for peace for all countries experiencing conflicts: "Peace for Palestine, for Israel, for Lebanon, for Syria, for the entire Middle East! Peace for tortured Myanmar!". The pontiff paid special attention to the situation in Ukraine, asking the Holy Mother of God to bring the long-awaited peace.
As of the time of writing this article, there has been no official reaction to Pope Francis' statement in Ukraine. Ambassador of Ukraine to the Vatican Andrii Yurash also did not comment on the words of the pontiff. At the same time, on December 13, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epiphany of Kyiv and All Ukraine, met with Pope Francis in the Vatican. During the meeting, he thanked the pontiff for humanitarian aid to victims of Russian aggression and support for Ukrainian refugees.
The pontiff has repeatedly called for peace and negotiations since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but his statements are often criticized in Ukraine. The main reason for this is the lack of a clear position that would point to Russia as an aggressor, as well as equality in addressing both sides of the conflict. Earlier, on July 30, 2023, Pope Francis called Ukrainians and Russians "brothers" in an appeal to block grain exports from Ukraine. And on March 9 of the same year, he called on Ukraine to have the courage to "throw away the white flag" and agree to peace negotiations. Later, the Vatican explained that it was about a ceasefire, not about the surrender of Ukraine.
Despite the mixed reception of Pope Francis' statements in Ukraine, his words about the "defeat of the war" and the need for reconciliation remain an important signal for the international community. Calls for peace from one of the world's most influential religious leaders draw attention to the tragedy of war and the need to find ways to end the conflict.
While the Ukrainian people continue to fight for their freedom, such statements once again demonstrate how important support is at the global level.
