Pope Leo XIV Calls for 24-Hour Christmas Truce as Russia Reportedly Refuses Ceasefire Request

Overview

• Speaking outside Villa Barberini in Castel Gandolfo on Dec. 23, Pope Leo XIV urged people of goodwill to observe a single day of peace worldwide.
• He said Russia had turned down a Christmas pause in its war on Ukraine and described the refusal as a source of deep sadness.
• Ukraine’s prime minister reported fresh Russian missile and drone attacks on Tuesday that killed three people, including a child.
• U.S.-led attempts to steer negotiations between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky toward a peace agreement have so far produced no breakthrough.
• The pope also voiced hope that Gaza ceasefire talks advance and said he spoke with a local priest about the community’s precarious situation.