Pope Leo XIV appealed to the world's major powers for "no more war", in his first Sunday message to crowds in St. Peter's Square since his election as pontiff. The new pope, elected on May 8, called for an "authentic and lasting peace" in Ukraine and a ceasefire in Gaza and release of all Israeli hostages. Leo also welcomed the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and said he was praying to God to grant the world the "miracle of peace. In his first Sunday noon blessing as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV made a powerful call for peace, urging a just and lasting resolution to the war in Ukraine, an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and the delivery of humanitarian aid. “Never again war!” the new pope declared from the loggia of St Peter’s Basilica, addressing a crowd gathered in Vatican City. Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Leo quoted his predecessor, Pope Francis, in lamenting the many violent conflicts raging across the world today, calling it a “third world war in pieces.” These appeals echo the central theme of Pope Leo XIV’s first words upon his election, when he invoked peace nine times during his brief inaugural address. “Peace be with you. … This was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God,” he said in Italian from the same balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square. Leo’s stance on global conflict, especially the war in Ukraine, has been notably clear for years. As Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, Robert Prevost (now Pope Leo XIV) condemned Russia’s invasion in a 2022 interview with the Peruvian news outlet Semanario Expresión, describing it as “a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power.” This forthright support for Ukraine’s right to self-defence contrasts with Pope Francis’s more ambiguous public posture during the war. In March 2024, Francis controversially suggested that Ukraine should have “the courage to raise the white flag” and enter negotiations with Russia, a statement that drew significant criticism from Ukrainians and their allies. While Pope Francis initially warned that war would be “madness” and advocated for dialogue, he refrained from assigning blame. In the early days following Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, his remarks were notably non-specific. He expressed concern for suffering Ukrainians but avoided naming Russia as the aggressor. In May 2022, Francis even implied NATO may have provoked the war by “barking at Russia’s door,” echoing Kremlin talking points and deeply offending Ukrainian officials. His first public gesture of support came in April 2022 when he unfurled a Ukrainian flag from Bucha and referred to it as a “martyred city” following the discovery of atrocities committed by Russian forces. Yet even then, he avoided naming Russia. It wasn’t until January 2023 that Francis strongly condemned the war as “a crime against God and humanity” in an address to diplomats. On the second anniversary of the invasion, he finally called it a “cruel, absurd” war waged by Russia, marking a shift from vague references to “the war in Ukraine.” “On one hand, Pope Francis clearly solidarised himself with the Ukrainian people and their suffering. He was one of the few religious leaders globally who have been outspoken about the war, who has been clear about who is the victim,” said Ukrainian Orthodox theologian Father Cyril Hovorun in an interview with Euromaidan Press following Francis’s death. “At the same time, he was not as clear about who was the aggressor, and that is one of the things that Ukrainians don’t like about him.” Despite these differences, Pope Leo XIV has pledged to continue Pope Francis’s broader vision for the Church. Addressing Catholic cardinals on Saturday, he said the late pontiff left a “precious legacy” that must be carried forward. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed Leo’s appointment and praised the Holy See’s consistent moral stance, stating that, “Ukraine deeply values the Holy See's consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians,” Zelensky said. As the bells of St Peter’s Basilica rang out and marching bands gathered for the Jubilee weekend filled the square with music, the crowd responded with cheers, marking the beginning of a new papacy committed to peace.
