Pope Leo XIV calls for courage and concessions for peace in Europe

On the last day of his visit to France, Pope Leo XIV called on world leaders to seek peace with courage and concessions. He said there is no future in revenge and retaliation.

Leo XIV chose Metz to speak to Europeans about peace. Close to the border with Germany, the city went through two world wars, changed hands between the French and Germans and today symbolizes the reconciliation that helped build the European Union.

Without directly mentioning Ukraine, the pope said war had returned to the continent. And as Leo XIV spoke in France, war showed what it means to civilians. A Russian drone hit the National Academy of Sciences, in the center of the Ukrainian capital. Another hit a business center in Dnipro. In total, four dead and more than 30 injured.

“It is necessary to engage in patient dialogue, demonstrate courage in negotiation and be willing to sacrifice certain positions for the greater good of peace,” said Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV asks Russians and Ukrainians to make concessions in favor of peace — Photo: Jornal Nacional/ Reproduction

The pope also defended the rule of law, the integration of immigrants and a Europe open to encounters between cultures, and left a question for Europeans:

“We must ask ourselves are we really making efforts to promote peace or are we just better preparing for the conflicts we assume are coming?”

Pope Leo