“Regardless of the diplomatic efforts of those previous weeks, more and more alarming eventualities are rising,” the pontiff mentioned on the finish of his weekly basic viewers.
“I ask all the events concerned to abstain from any motion that would trigger nonetheless extra struggling for the inhabitants,” he mentioned.
Francis additionally mentioned that subsequent Wednesday, which is Ash Wednesday within the Christian calendar and the start of the interval of Lent, can be a “day of fasting and of prayer for peace”.
“In order that the reign of peace can protect the world towards the insanity of struggle,” he mentioned.
The Pope has already known as for peace in Ukraine.
However the newest feedback are his strongest but and are available two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered “peacekeepers” to maneuver into two breakaway Ukrainian areas now recognised by Moscow as impartial.
The transfer has additional raised worry Russia may transfer into different components of Ukraine.