Pope Leo Calls for Dialogue in Ukraine War and Highlights Global Crises in Christmas Addresses
Pope Leo urged Ukraine and Russia to find the courage to engage in direct, sincere, and respectful dialogue to end the war during his first Christmas Urbi et Orbi address in St Peter's Square. He called for an end to conflicts worldwide and appealed for the international community to support negotiations. This plea coincides with ongoing US-led efforts to broker a ceasefire, though no direct talks have taken place between Kyiv and Moscow in the current round of diplomacy.
In a separate Christmas Day sermon, the pope lamented the conditions faced by homeless people and highlighted the plight of Palestinians and the Gaza Strip. Gaza has suffered devastating Israeli bombardment over the past two years, triggered by Hamas's attack on Israel, resulting in the displacement of about 2.1 million residents. Aid agencies have called on Israel to allow more tents and urgently needed supplies into Gaza. The Gaza border crossings are managed by the Israeli military body Cogat, which stated that there have been no deliberate restrictions on aid delivery; since the start of the ceasefire in October, nearly 310,000 tents and tarpaulins have been delivered.
