Pope Francis wishes Ukraine "just and lasting peace" in his Christmas greeting

In his traditional Christmas message on 25 December, Pope Francis mentioned the war in Ukraine, calling for an end to it and for negotiations for a just peace.

Pope Francis devoted two sentences of his Christmas message to the mention of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

"May the sound of arms be silenced in war-torn Ukraine! May there be the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace," he said.

The Pope spoke a bit more about the events in the Middle East, where he also wished for the "silence of arms", the release of hostages and assistance to "the people worn out by hunger and by war".

A few days ago, in a Sunday prayer on Christmas Eve, Francis called for a ceasefire in all war zones, condemning the brutality of the bombing of schools and hospitals in Ukraine and Gaza.

Earlier this year, in the context of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the Pope said that a negotiated peace is "better than war without end".