Pope calls for ‘serious international dialogue’ to ease tensions in Ukraine – Reuters

By Philip Bolilla

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis, in his first comments on tensions between the West and Russia over Ukraine, called on Sunday for serious international dialogue to resolve differences, urging both sides to avoid armed conflict.

He said he prayed for “beloved Ukraine, for all its churches and religious denominations and for all its people, so that tensions there would be resolved through serious international dialogue and not with weapons.”

“Arms are not the way to go. May this Christmas bring peace to Ukraine,” the Pope told thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square for his noon blessing and address.

Ukraine is a Christian country with an Orthodox majority, while Catholics of the Latin or Byzantine rite represent 10% of the population of the former Soviet Republic.

US President Joe Biden said Saturday that he told Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia will pay a “heavy price” and face devastating economic consequences if it invades Ukraine.

Ukraine accuses Russia of concentrating tens of thousands of troops in preparation for a possible large-scale military offensive.

Russia denies planning any attacks and accuses Ukraine and the United States of destabilizing behaviour.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Gareth Jones and Francis Kerry, Editing in Spanish by Gabriela Donoso)