Pope calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine

He said this in his annual address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, Ukrinform reports, citing Vatican News.

Pope Leo XIV pointed to pride as the root of conflicts and wars, naming Ukraine among the first victims of this logic and calling for an immediate ceasefire.

"We see this in many contexts, starting with the ongoing war in Ukraine and the suffering endured by the civilian population. In the face of this tragic situation, the Holy See emphasizes the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue motivated by a sincere search for ways leading to peace," Leo XIV said.

He also urged the international community "not to waver from its commitment to seek just and lasting solutions that protect the most vulnerable and restore hope to suffering populations."

"I also stress the Holy See's full readiness to support any initiative that promotes peace and harmony," the pontiff added.

As reported, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that on the night of January 8-9, Ukraine was attacked, among other weapons, with an Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile, calling it a response to an alleged attack on Putin's Valdai residence on December 29, 2025.

Ukraine's Air Force Command West reported that the ballistic missile that struck Lviv on January 8 was traveling at a speed of 13,000 kilometers per hour. The exact missile type will be determined after all its components are examined.

According to Air Force spokesperson Colonel Yurii Ihnat, Russia may have launched the missile at the Lviv region from the Kapustin Yar testing range in the Astrakhan region, where the Oreshnik system is reportedly based.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that claims about strikes on Putin's Valdai residence are fake and were fabricated by Russia to derail successful negotiations on ending the war.

Photo: Vatican Media