Pope Leo says Europe must play a central role in ending Ukraine war after meeting Zelensky

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy - Pope Leo said Europe must play a central role in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, warning that any peace plan sidelining the continent is “not realistic”.

Speaking to journalists on Dec 9 hours after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the pontiff said Europe’s unity was “significant, especially in this case,” and called on leaders to seize what he described as a great opportunity to work together for a just peace.

“The war is in Europe,” he said, stressing that security guarantees must involve Europe. He lamented that “not everyone understands this,” but insisted European countries be part of any negotiations to end the nearly four-year-old conflict.

His comments appeared to rebuke US President Donald Trump, whose administration has pursued a peace framework with Moscow that initially excluded European input.

Asked about Mr Trump’s plan, Pope Leo said: “I’d rather not comment on that. I haven’t read the whole thing. Unfortunately, some parts I have seen make a huge change in what was, for many years, a true alliance between Europe and the United States.”

The pope said that recent remarks aimed at Europe risked weakening ties that remain crucial. “I think they are trying to break apart what I think needs to be a very important alliance today and in the future,” he said.

Asked about a possible trip to Kyiv, Pope Leo said: “I hope so. I don’t know when – we need to be realistic about these things. Maybe it will happen.”

Statements by US officials have shaken postwar assumptions about Europe’s alliance with Washington. A new US National Security Strategy document said Europe must change course or face “erasure.”

“They’re weak,” Mr Trump told Politico in an interview, referring to Europe’s political leaders. “They want to be so politically correct.”

“They don’t know what to do.”

The pope’s comments echoed Mr Zelensky’s frequent demands for a just peace as the Ukrainian leader tries to ensure that any agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine is balanced and does not overly favour Moscow.

Ukraine rules out ceding territory

Mr Zelensky, ​who arrived in Italy after talks in London on Dec 8, thanked the pontiff “for his constant prayers for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, as well as for his calls for a just peace”, and invited him to visit Ukraine.

“I informed the Pope about diplomatic efforts with the United States to achieve peace. We discussed further actions and the Vatican’s mediation aimed at returning our children abducted by Russia,” Mr Zelensky wrote on social media platform X.

Ukraine accuses Russia of abducting at least 19,000 of its children to Russia or Russian-occupied territory without the consent of family or guardians after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has denied abducting Ukrainian children, saying it acted to keep them safe from the fighting.

Mr Zelensky, who is under pressure from President Donald Trump to accept a

US-backed peace agreement

, has said repeatedly that any peace deal for Ukraine must be both just and durable.

The Ukrainian leader has ruled out ceding territory to Russia, and he and his European allies are concerned that the US-backed deal bows to many of Moscow’s key demands, does not fully address their security concerns and would reward Russia for invading Ukraine.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz offered Zelenskiy their support after talks on Dec 8.

The Ukrainian leader, who was also due to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni while in Italy, said on Dec 8 that Kyiv would share a revised peace plan with the United States on Dec 9.

Pope Leo, who was elected in May, has followed in the footsteps of his late predecessor Francis in repeatedly calling for an end to the war in Ukraine and at one point suggested he could host peace talks. The offer was never taken up. REUTERS