Why the Pope says peace in Ukraine now needs one thing: courage
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Pope Leo asked Ukraine and Russia to sit down for direct talks to end the war during his first Christmas Urbi et Orbi address in St Peter’s Square.
A real push for talks could shape how long this war drags on and how much more people pay for energy, food and aid. If the fighting keeps going, you see higher bills and more global instability. The Pope also pointed at other flashpoints, which shows how quickly one conflict can spill into another.
The Vatican crowd went quiet when he made his call for courage. He didn’t dress it up, he said both sides need to talk, even if they don’t trust each other. This moment felt bigger than a holiday speech. He linked Ukraine to fresh clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, then asked both to rebuild their old friendship and reset the tone. The bigger pressure points right now include Ukraine’s long war causing energy prices to be jumpy, the risk of a wider fight between Thailand and Cambodia if leaders don’t cool tensions, and the deepening misery in Gaza with winter storms and scarce supplies. When shifting to Gaza, the Pope spoke about mass displacement in simple human terms, as nearly the entire population has fled their homes after two years of Israeli strikes following Hamas’s 2023 attack. Aid workers warn about shortages, and the Pope echoed that worry. Israel’s Cogat unit pushed back, saying it delivered about 310,000 tents and tarps since the October ceasefire. The real tension is that the Pope keeps asking leaders to move faster on peace, while the world continues to respond slowly. The next few months will reveal who actually steps up.
The Pope’s speech took place in St Peter’s Square during the Christmas Urbi et Orbi address, creating a solemn and anticipatory atmosphere as the Vatican crowd went quiet when he called for courage. The narrative linked multiple conflict zones, illustrating interconnected global tensions and the human impact, especially highlighting mass displacement in Gaza with vivid reference to aid shortages and relief efforts.