Pope Francis on Sunday called for an end to fighting in Ukraine on the fourth day of a Russian invasion of the country.
“Let the weapons fall silent,” he said. “God is with those who seek peace, not those resorting to violence.”
The Argentine pontiff also called for the “urgent” opening of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to escape the onslaught.
“I am thinking of the elderly, of all those at the moment seeking refuge, of mothers fleeing with their children,” he said.
“They are brothers and sisters for whom it is urgent to open up humanitarian corridors and who must be welcomed.”
The Russian invasion of Ukraine could force as many as 4 million Ukrainians to flee their country, the United Nations said this week, spawning one of the worst refugee crises in Europe in more than 70 years.
According to the U.N. refugee agency Sunday, 368,000 Ukrainians have crossed into neighboring countries and that number is expected to rise. (AP/AFP/VOA)