December 25, (THEWILL) – Catholic pontiff and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis, has called for talks between Ukraine and Russia to end the hostility that has killed tens of thousands of people.
This is coming hours after Russia launched a massive aerial attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Christmas Day. It is the thirteenth time Russia has carried out a major attack on Ukraine’s power grid this year.
Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in his Christmas message on Wednesday, Francis called for “the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation.”
“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, to achieve a just and lasting peace,” he said.
The 88-year-old, who is celebrating the 12th Christmas of his pontificate, also called for an end to conflicts, political, social, or military, in places including Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Haiti, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
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