Pope Leo offers Vatican as mediator in global conflicts, pledging to make ‘every effort’ for peace

Pope Leo offers Vatican as mediator in global conflicts, pledging to make ‘every effort’ for peace and offered the Vatican as a mediator in global conflicts, saying war was “never inevitable”.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke to the Pope soon after his election, welcomed the pontiff’s offer and repeated that Kyiv backed all efforts to end his country’s war with Russia.

Leo, elected last week, has already made repeated calls for peace. His first words to crowds in St Peter’s Square were “Peace be with all of you”.

He returned to the issue while addressing members of the Eastern Catholic Churches, some of which are based in conflict-ridden places such as Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq and often face persecution as religious minorities.

“The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies together, face-to-face, to talk to one another, so that peoples everywhere may once more find hope and recover the dignity they deserve, the dignity of peace,” Pope Leo said.

“War is never inevitable. Weapons can and must be silenced, for they do not resolve problems but only increase them. Those who make history are the peacemakers, not those who sow seeds of suffering.”

Pope Leo warned against the rise of simplistic narratives that divide the world into good and evil. “Our neighbours are not first our enemies, but fellow human beings,” he said.

In his first Sunday address, the pontiff called for an “authentic and lasting peace” in Ukraine, a ceasefire in Gaza and release of all Israeli hostages held by militant group Hamas. He also welcomed the fragile ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

Mr Zelensky, writing in English on X, said he was grateful to Pope Leo “for his wise words about the Holy See’s willingness to play a mediatory role in restoring global peace”.

“We appreciate the pontiff’s insightful statement and reiterate our commitment to advancing meaningful peace efforts, including a full ceasefire and a personal highest-level meeting with Russia.”

Mr Zelensky hopes to be present for the Pope’s inauguration mass in St Peter’s Square tomorrow and is ready to hold meetings on the sidelines, his chief of staff Andriy Yermak said.

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