Pope Leo warns ‘winds of war’ again blowing across Middle East, Ukraine

Pope Leo XIV warned Sunday that “winds of war” are once again blowing across the Middle East, Ukraine and other parts of the world, urging continued efforts toward dialogue and diplomacy, Anadolu reports.

“Unfortunately, the winds of war are once again blowing in the Middle East, in Ukraine, and in numerous other parts of the world, sowing violence, terror, and death, and striking, once more, so many innocents,” the pope said in a post on the US social media company X.

He called for hope for peace to be preserved despite ongoing conflicts.

“Let us not allow these winds to extinguish the little flame of hope and peace, even when it seems fragile and flickering,” he said.

Pope Leo renewed his call for dialogue, meetings and diplomatic efforts to be pursued with perseverance.

He described such efforts as “the only way capable of leading to a just and lasting peace,” where people can live in reconciliation and mutual security.

The pontiff also stressed the need for respect for the dignity of every person as part of efforts to achieve lasting peace.