Pope Francis warns war in Ukraine would be 'madness'

Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics, said on Wednesday that war in Ukraine would be “madness” and voiced hope that tensions between Moscow and Ukraine can be overcome through multi-lateral dialogue before further escalation brings war to Europe.

Russia is estimated to have massed more than 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine, but officials have denied Western accusations that any plans to invade have been made.

At his general audience in Rome, the pontiff thanked those who participated in his Jan. 26 international day of "prayer for peace" for Ukraine.

“Let us continue to beg the God of peace so that the tensions and threats of war can be overcome through a serious dialogue and that the Normandy Format talks can contribute to this aim,” he said, referring to negotiations between the Kremlin and the West.  

“And let’s not forget. War is madness,” he said.

Although most Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians, the country is home to 5.5 million Ukrainian Catholics – members of a an Eastern-rite Catholic church which is in full communion with Rome.

On Tuesday, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the leader of Ukraine’s Catholics, said he had invited Francis to visit, in a major gesture that he said could help bring peace – noting that there is no need for conditions to improve in order for Francis to visit.  

“We have several times expressed the desire that the holy father visit Ukraine. We have invited him and repeated it often,” he said.

“We are hopeful. Gestures are very important and visiting Ukraine would be a very strong gesture for all of humanity.”

In order for Francis to visit, however, he would have to be invited by both the government and religious authorities. A visit under the present circumstances could complicate matters for Rome as it tries to improve relations with the Russian Orthodox Church – which is notoriously close to the Kremlin.

Plans are currently under way for a second meeting between the pontiff and Russian Patriarch Kirill. The two spiritual leaders first met in Cuba in 2016 in what was the first meeting between a pope and a Russian patriarch since the great schism that split Christianity into Eastern and Western branches in 1054.

“There is a consensus in Ukraine, not just among Catholics but also among Orthodox and even non-believers, that Pope Francis is the most important moral authority in the world today,” Shevchuk said.

“The people say that if the pope comes to Ukraine the war will end. They see the gesture of a papal visit as one of a messenger of peace.”