'Russian invasion of Ukraine a shameful disaster’- Pope Francis says as he marks the 1000th day of the war

Pope Francis, leader of the Roman Catholic Church, marked 1,000 days since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Wednesday, describing it as a “shameful disaster for humanity.” The statement was made during his weekly general audience at the Vatican, attended by Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska. “Yesterday marked 1,000 days since the invasion of Ukraine—a tragic milestone for the victims and the destruction it has caused,” the pontiff said, addressing thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square. He further lamented, “It is also a shameful disaster for all humanity,” while Zelenska was joined by the first ladies of Armenia, Lithuania, and Serbia.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and since then, Pope Francis has consistently called for an end to the war. On Wednesday, he reaffirmed his solidarity with the “martyred Ukrainian people” and urged for peace, emphasizing the need to replace weapons with dialogue. During the audience, the pope read a letter from a Ukrainian student detailing the war's devastating impact and the suffering of the people.