Pope Leo says civilians in Ukraine are suffering, calls for war to end

Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, on Epiphany at the Vatican, January 6, 2026. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo

MILAN, ‌Jan 25 (Reuters) - Pope ‌Leo on Sunday ‌said ongoing Russian attacks against Ukraine ‍were leaving ‍civilians in ‌the country exposed to ‍the ​cold of ⁠winter, and called for an ‌end to the ⁠conflict.

"The ‍protracted hostilities ... have increasingly ‍serious implications for ‌civilians," Pope Leo said after his weekly Angelus prayer.

"I urge everyone to intensify their ‌efforts to end this war."

(Reporting ​by Valentina Za; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)