It is the first time that Pope Francis has appointed the Russian president since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24. He begged Vladimir Putin this Sunday to cease fire immediately. He also deplored the annexation of four Ukrainian regions by Moscow.
Before his Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope addressed “to the President of the Russian Federation, begging him to stop, also out of love for his people, this spiral of violence and death”.
Vladimir Putin on Friday proclaimed the annexation of four Ukrainian regions, a decision that drew strong condemnation from the international community. “I deeply deplore the serious situation that has arisen in recent days. It increases the risk of nuclear escalation, to the point of raising fears of uncontrollable and catastrophic consequences on a global level”said the sovereign pontiff.
Pope Francis also called on President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky “to be open to serious proposals for peace”.
“Humanity is once again confronted with the atomic threat, it’s absurd”
“It is distressing that the world learns about the geography of Ukraine through names like Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, Izium, Zaporizhya and other localities, which have become places of indescribable suffering and fear”he added. “And what about the fact that humanity is once again facing the atomic threat? It’s absurd.”
Denouncing once again the “madness” and the“horror” of the war, Pope Francis insisted on “respect for the sacrosanct value of human life” and “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each country”.
The Holy See has been trying since February 24 to maintain a delicate diplomatic balance with the two countries, the pope condemning a war “cruel and senseless” while keeping open the possibility of dialogue with Moscow.