“We organize conferences and meetings, yet we continue producing weapons to kill,” he said.The Pope also warned of a "general tendency toward self-destruction through war." He called for an urgent peace treaty but noted that discussions about peace often get bogged down in secondary issues. He voiced particular concern over "young Ukrainians being sent to the front lines," adding that “Ukraine has few men left, while Russia has many.” He also touched on what he called a lack of "personal ethics," a remark made shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy harshly criticized Russian leader Vladimir Putin for suggesting testing a new Russian ballistic missile on Kyiv, using multiple strong expressions in both English and Ukrainian. Meanwhile, Russia continues to conduct its deliberate air attacks on residential areas and civilian infrastructure every day across Ukraine, including Kyiv. In his Christmas message, Francis reiterated his call for a truce.
“Suffering Ukraine continues to endure attacks on its cities, damaging schools, hospitals, and churches. May the weapons fall silent and Christmas carols resound! Let us pray for a ceasefire on all fronts— in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, across the Middle East, and around the world," he said.Since the start of the war, Pope Francis has made several controversial statements about the conflict. He has also expressed a willingness to mediate peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
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