VATICAN CITY, April 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Pope Leo XIV had telephoneconversations Friday ahead with the presidents of Israel and Ukraine in whichhe wished for peace amid ongoing wars, the Vatican said. The American-born pope spoke with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and,separately, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, in which thehumanitarian situation in each war zone was discussed, the Vatican said inindividual statements. With Zelensky, Leo expressed his "best wishes for the Easter holidays" andboth leaders discussed the "urgency of providing the necessary aid to thepopulation suffering from the conflict." In February, Leo said that peace in Ukraine, where the war has dragged on formore than four years, was "an urgent necessity". Regarding the war in the Middle East, this week Leo called on world leadersto "come back to the table to dialogue", saying he hoped that US PresidentDonald Trump was "looking for an off-ramp".

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha April 03, 2026 11:58 UTC