On Monday, Pope Leo said that negotiators seeking to end the conflict in Europe must be prepared to give up certain positions in order to achieve peace, as efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine have still yielded no results, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
Details
The first U.S.-citizen pope, speaking to European leaders in Metz (the hometown of Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union), said: "War has returned even to Europe — it is a new senseless slaughter that claims the lives of countless civilians every day."
Presenting his clearest vision to date of Europe’s political future, Leo also spoke favorably of the ideas of integration and multiculturalism at a time when far-right movements are gaining strength in the region.
Speaking in French, he urged Europeans to remember the EU’s fundamental values, including the rule of law and the equality of all people regardless of race, skin color, social status, or profession. Those present responded to his speech with a standing ovation.
Leo began his four-day visit on Friday by warning that the United Nations and other multilateral institutions are in crisis, and that international dialogue risks turning into a "farce".
We would add
On Monday in Metz, he focused attention on the war in Ukraine, although he did not mention it directly.
"We need to... show courage in negotiations and be ready to give up certain positions for the sake of the greater good — peace," he said, recalling a similar appeal by Pope Benedict XV, made in 1917 against the backdrop of the horrors of World War I.
Leo also once again spoke out against the growth of military spending in Europe; last year, it increased at the fastest rate since the end of the Cold War under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump and because of Russia’s aggressive policy.
"We must also beware of the illusion that rearmament is the solution to the problem," he said.
"Today we must ask ourselves: are we truly making creative efforts to strengthen peace throughout the world, or are we simply trying to \"hold back the tide of war\" and better prepare for the wars that, in our view, still lie ahead".
Trump urged Zelenskyy and Putin to reach an agreement to end the war 26.09.26, 18:57