"Weapons must be silenced" – Pope Leo XIV offers mediation to warring countries

Pope Leo XIV has offered mediation to warring parties in the world during a reception at the Vatican of representatives of 23 Christian Churches of the East.

This is reported by Le Monde.

"The Holy See exists so that enemies can meet and look each other in the eye, so that peoples can rediscover the hope and dignity to which they are entitled, the dignity of peace," he said in his speech.

In particular, Leo XIV mentioned the numerous conflicts in the world, "from the Holy Land to Ukraine, from Lebanon to Syria, from the Middle East to Tigray," in Ethiopia, "and in the Caucasus." The Pope condemned violence and called for efforts to achieve peace.

"I will do everything in my power to spread peace," the new Pope assured.

He added: "People want peace and, with my hand on my heart, I say to the leaders of the peoples: let's meet, let's have a dialogue, let's negotiate! War is never inevitable, weapons can and should be silenced, because they do not solve problems, but only intensify them."

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a possible meeting with the new Pope Leo XIV this Sunday, May 18.