Pope Francis, in his traditional Christmas message Urbi et Orbi ("To the city and the world"), said that courage is needed to start negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the war. In his address, he made a plea for "gestures of dialogue" and called for a just and lasting peace, BTA reports.
He stressed that it is time to "silence the weapons" in Ukraine, pointing out how destructive the conflict is and how it continues to affect countless civilian lives.
Criticisms of call for negotiations
Francis' call for talks between Russia and Ukraine has drawn criticism from Ukrainian officials who have objected to the offer of dialogue with Moscow. In 2023, the pope was accused of saying that his claim of Ukraine's "white flag" for talks did not take into account the realities of the conflict, as well as the gravity of the aggression undertaken by Russia.
Calls for peace in other regions of the world
During the Christmas service, the pope also made strong calls for peace in other crisis regions, such as Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Haiti, Venezuela and Nicaragua. He continued to express concern about Israel's military actions in Gaza, renewing his call for a ceasefire and humanitarian access in the region.
The Holy Year as a Time of Peace and Hope
This Christmas, Pope Francis announced the beginning of the Holy Year for the Catholic Church, which will last until 2026. He indicated that it is a time of "peace, forgiveness and absolution" and called on all people and nations to overcome divisions and find the path to peace. In this regard, he stressed that the resolution of the Cyprus problems is an example of resolving old divisions and encouraged dialogue and a mutual solution to remove the border wall on the island.