Topline Pope Francis made his first personal appeal for Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the “spiral of violence and death” in Ukraine on Sunday, days after Putin announced Russia would illegally annex four occupied regions of Ukraine. Pope Francis waves from the window of the Apostolic Palace during the weekly Angelus prayer on … [+] October 2, 2022 in The Vatican.AFP via Getty Images Key Facts During his weekly Sunday morning speech from St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, Francis told followers he would forgo the typical religious messages in order to bring attention to what is happening in Ukraine, according to the Associated Press. The pope strongly deplored the “grave situation” created over the past few days, referencing Putin’s annexation of portions of eastern Ukraine, which Francis reportedly described as a violation of international law. Francis said that it increases the risk of nuclear escalation to the point the pope said he fears there would be “uncontrollable and catastrophic consequences on the world level.” While Francis has spoken out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine before, Sunday marked the first time he called on Putin directly to end the bloodshed, asking the president to think of his own p… Click below to read the full story from Forbes
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Pope Francis Condemns Russia’s Annexation Of Eastern Ukraine—And Urges Putin To Stop ‘Spiral Of Violence And Death’
