Pope Leo Urges Ukraine and Russia to Hold Direct Talks, Calls for Global Peace on Christmas

Pope Leo, in his Christmas Urbi et Orbi address, urged Ukraine and Russia to hold direct talks to end the war and called for global peace, highlighting conflicts in Thailand, Cambodia, and Gaza. He drew attention to the suffering of homeless populations and war-affected communities, appealing for humanitarian aid and reconciliation.

Pope Leo has called on Ukraine and Russia to find the "courage" to engage in direct talks to end the ongoing war, in his first Christmas message delivered to crowds in St Peter's Square.
During his traditional Urbi et Orbi address—delivered each Christmas Day to worshippers in Vatican City—the Pope appealed for an end to conflicts across the globe. Speaking specifically about Ukraine, he said: "May the clamour of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue."
His plea comes amid ongoing US-led efforts to broker a deal to end the fighting. While the United States has attempted to put together an agreement acceptable to both sides, direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have yet to take place during this latest round of diplomatic discussions.
Pope Leo also highlighted unrest and conflict affecting other regions, including Thailand and Cambodia, where deadly border clashes have erupted despite a ceasefire in July. He called for the restoration of the South East Asian nations’ "ancient friendship" and urged them "to work towards reconciliation and peace."
Earlier in his Christmas Day sermon at St Peter's Basilica, the Pope drew attention to the plight of homeless people worldwide and the destruction caused by ongoing and past conflicts. "Fragile is the flesh of defenceless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds," he said.
Turning to the story of Jesus' birth, he reflected that God had "pitched his fragile tent" among humanity. "How, then," he asked, referring to Palestinians, "can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?"
Gaza has suffered extensive damage from Israeli bombardment during a two-year war, which began after Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. Winter storms have worsened conditions for the territory’s 2.1 million residents, most of whom have been displaced and left without homes. Aid agencies have called on Israel to allow more tents and urgently needed supplies into the territory.
The Israeli military authority Cogat, which controls Gaza's border crossings, has rejected claims of deliberate aid restrictions, stating that nearly 310,000 tents and tarpaulins have been delivered since the ceasefire began in October.