20 hours ago
3
Pope Francis said Wednesday that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a “shameful disaster for humanity.”
He stated this when he spoke on the occasion of the 1,000 days since Russian invaded Ukraine, in an audience attended by First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska.
“Yesterday marked 1,000 days since the invasion of Ukraine. A tragic anniversary for the victims and the destruction it has caused,” the Argentine pope said at the end of his weekly general audience at the Vatican.
“But at the same time, (it is) a shameful disaster for all humanity,” he added in front of the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, where Zelenska sat with the first ladies of Armenia, Lithuania and Serbia.
READ ALSO: 6 reasons Pope Francis may have told G7 leaders to regulate the use of AI
He expressed his closeness to the “martyred Ukrainian people” and called for efforts “so that weapons give way to dialogue”.
Francis then read a letter addressed to him by a Ukrainian student in which he describes the war and how people are suffering.
Russia launched its full-scale attack on Ukraine in February 2022 and since then, the pope has frequently called for an end to the conflict.
Join the conversation
Opinions
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.
