Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Christmas Day message in Vatican City and used the opportunity to call for peace in Ukraine. On Thursday, the Pope addressed a massive crowd at St. Peter’s Square and called for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Pope Leo also urged the international community to support efforts toward a cease-fire after almost four years of war.
He said, “May the clamor of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”
🚨JUST IN: 🇷🇺🇺🇦 Pope Leo has urged Ukraine and Russia to find the “courage” to hold direct talks to end the war. pic.twitter.com/kMjNYmLks1
— Globe View News (@globeviewnews) December 26, 2025
The message comes just two days after Russia bombed Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, with missiles and drones. The attack killed three people, including a child, just before Christmas. Despite the US’ efforts to conduct diplomatic talks between the two countries in recent weeks, tensions have only escalated.
Earlier on Tuesday, Pope Leo had expressed his disappointment over Russia’s bombing of Kyiv and had requested Vladimir Putin to have at least 24 hours of truce on a holy occasion like Christmas.
The Pope said at the time, “I am renewing my request to all people of goodwill to respect a day of peace – at least on the feast of the birth of our saviour.”
He added, “Among the things that cause me great sadness is the fact that Russia has apparently rejected a request for a truce. I hope they will listen and there will be 24 hours of peace in the whole world.”
Apart from the Russia-Ukraine war, Pope Leo also drew attention to other humanitarian crises in his Urbi et Orbi message on Christmas Day. He prayed for peace and the stability of Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Thailand, and Cambodia.
Ukraine deeply appreciates all the support of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex and the Holy See – the ongoing humanitarian assistance and the readiness to expand humanitarian missions.
During today’s audience with His Holiness, I thanked him for his constant prayers for… pic.twitter.com/J2iPAdArQn
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 9, 2025
Speaking about the victims of Gaza, the Pope said, “In becoming man, Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent.”
Pope Leo XIV was elected as the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City in March 2025. He succeeded Pope Francis and became the first U.S.-born pope.
Returning to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, tensions between the two nations had simmered for years before culminating in a full-scale war in February 2022. The ongoing war has killed tens of thousands of people and triggered a migrant crisis in Eastern Europe. Efforts to de-escalate the situation through peace talks have so far failed.
