Pope Leo XVI on Friday held separate phone conversations with Israeli President, Isaac Herzog and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, focusing on the wars in both regions and renewed efforts toward peace.
The American-born pontiff discussed the humanitarian crises caused by the conflicts, according to the Vatican.
In his conversation with Herzog, the pope “reaffirmed the need to reopen all possible channels of diplomatic dialogue to bring an end to the serious ongoing conflict, with a view to achieving a just and lasting peace throughout the Middle East,” a Vatican statement said.
“The conversation also focused on the importance of protecting the civilian population and promoting respect for international and humanitarian law,” it added.
The discussions came during the Catholic Holy Week ahead of Easter on Sunday. At the same time, Herzog was observing Passover, while Zelensky, who is Jewish, was preparing for Ukraine’s Orthodox Easter celebrations on April 12.
According to Herzog’s office, the two leaders exchanged holiday greetings before discussing the war with Iran.
They also spoke about “including the ongoing threat of missile attacks by the Iranian regime and its terror proxies against people of all faiths in the region.”
On Lebanon, both men discussed “the importance of the safety and security of Christian communities on both sides of the border”.
With Zelensky, the pope extended his “best wishes for the Easter holidays” as they discussed the worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
The Vatican said both leaders stressed the “urgency of providing the necessary aid to the population suffering from the conflict.”
“Reference was also made to efforts aimed at promoting humanitarian initiatives, especially regarding the release of prisoners,” the Vatican said.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the Vatican has quietly pursued mediation efforts, particularly in arranging prisoner swaps through diplomatic channels.
Zelensky later revealed on X that while he was speaking with the pope, Russian forces had launched fresh attacks across at least five Ukrainian regions following overnight strikes.
“Not a single hour of peace for our people, and this is Russia’s response to our proposal for an Easter ceasefire,” he wrote.
The Vatican said the pope and Zelensky shared hopes that “with the commitment and cooperation of the international community, hostilities may cease as soon as possible and a just and lasting peace may be achieved”.
In February, Leo described ending the conflict in Ukraine as “an urgent necessity” after more than four years of war.
On the Middle East crisis, the pope this week urged world leaders to “come back to the table to dialogue”, while expressing hope that US President Donald Trump was “looking for an off-ramp”.
