Pope Leo renews call for Ukraine war to end

On Sunday, Pope Leo reiterated his plea for an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The pontiff expressed deep concern over the escalating number of civilian casualties, including children, as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. According to the UN, over 16,000 civilians have perished in the nearly four and a half years of hostilities, with the vast majority being Ukrainians.

The UN human rights office reported a surge in civilian injuries and deaths in Ukraine in the first half of the year, with a more than thirty percent increase driven by an uptick in drone attacks. Meanwhile, Kyiv has also retaliated with drone strikes on Russia. The UN has confirmed that civilians living in Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation and within Russia itself have also been victims of these attacks.

The Pope's renewed call for respect for international humanitarian law and an immediate cessation of attacks against civilian targets came before a congregation of worshippers gathered for his Angelus prayer.