Pope Leo XIV called on Europe to “continue to inspire with the spirit of community and cooperation and be faithful to its Christian roots.”
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Tens of thousands of believers from all over the world gathered in St. Peter's Square at noon. Addressing them from the balcony of the Vatican Basilica, Leo XIV said that the way of peace is responsibility.
“If each of us, at all levels, instead of accusing others, first recognized our own sins and asked God for forgiveness, and at the same time put ourselves in the shoes of those who suffer, showed solidarity with those who are weaker and oppressed, then the world would change,” he declared.
He also asked for “justice, peace and security for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Syria.”
“We pray in particular for the martyred Ukrainian nation: may the noise of weapons be silenced and the parties involved, supported by the efforts of the international community, find the courage to engage in a sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.” – he added.
Gigantic drone raids
Meanwhile, despite the holiday season, fighting continues in Ukraine. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports that over the last 24 hours, Russia used as many as 6,393 kamikaze drones and 193 guided bombs. The Russians carried out a total of 80 airstrikes, and the situation remains extremely tense not only in Zaporizhia, but also in Odessa and Pokrovsk.
President Volodymyr Zelensky commented harshly on the attitude of the Kremlin, which did not agree to a ceasefire during the holiday season. “Unfortunately, Russia continues to reject proposals for a real ceasefireas it has been doing all year long,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on Platform X. President Zelensky also emphasized that Moscow, instead of striving for peace, was consciously intensifying hostilities and tries to impose a “normalization of brutality” on the world.
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