Pope Francis said on Wednesday that a war in Ukraine would be “madness” and hoped that tensions between Ukraine and Russia could be overcome through multilateral dialogue.
In remarks at his general audience on Wednesday, Francis thanked those who participated in the international day of prayer for peace in Ukraine on Jan. 26.
“Let us continue to pray to the God of peace that tensions and threats of war can be overcome through serious dialogue and that the Normandy Format talks can contribute to this goal,” he said, referring to negotiations involving Russia. and Ukraine, provided by Germany and France.
“And let’s not forget. War is crazy,” he said.
Russia has massed troops near Ukraine but denies accusations from Western nations that it is planning an invasion.
Most Ukrainians follow Orthodox Christianity, but the country is also home to its own branch of the Catholic Church, which practices an Eastern Rite similar to Orthodox worship while proclaiming allegiance to the Pope in Rome.
On Tuesday, the leader of Ukraine’s eastern branch Catholics said he invited Francis to visit him, calling it a grand gesture that would help bring about peace.
