VATICAN CITY, Holy See — Pope Leo XVI spoke on Friday with the presidents of Israel and Ukraine, discussing the ongoing wars and the need for peace. Prisoner releaseWith Zelensky, Leo expressed his "best wishes for the Easter holidays" and both leaders discussed the "urgency of providing the necessary aid to the population suffering from the conflict." "Not a single hour of peace for our people, and this is Russia’s response to our proposal for an Easter ceasefire," he wrote. In February, Leo said that peace in Ukraine, where the war has dragged on for more than four years, was "an urgent necessity". Regarding the war in the Middle East, this week Leo called on world leaders to "come back to the table to dialogue", saying he hoped that US President Donald Trump was "looking for an off-ramp".

Source: Philippine Star April 04, 2026 01:37 UTC