Ukraine-Russia War

The Latest

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (left) arrives at the Vatican for Synod on Synodality meetings on Oct. 10, 2024. The Vatican announced on Monday, Oct. 14, that the cardinal returned to Moscow to meet with Russian authorities as part of the peace mission entrusted to him by Pope Francis.

Cardinal Zuppi returns to Moscow as Vatican peace envoy

Oct 14, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi returned to Moscow on Monday to meet with Russian authorities as part of the peace mission entrusted... Read more

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shakes hands with Pope Francis during a meeting at the Vatican on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024.

Pope Francis, Zelenskyy hold fourth meeting since outbreak of Russia-Ukraine war

Oct 11, 2024

By Kristina Millare

The Oct. 11 meeting is the fourth meeting the Ukrainian president has had with the Holy Father since the outbreak... Read more

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin attends a plenary session at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine at the Burgenstock resort near Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 16, 2024.

Parolin: International human rights conventions must be safeguarded in Russia-Ukraine war

Sep 18, 2024

By Kristina Millare

Cardinal Pietro Parolin thanked Russia human rights commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova for her role in securing the June 28 release of... Read more

During the Sept. 9, 2024, session of the International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador, Bishop Hryhoriy Komar of Sambir, Ukraine, gave his testimony about the horrors of the war in his country.

‘Our strength is the Eucharist’: In Quito, Ukrainian bishop tells how his people endure war

Sep 11, 2024

By Diego López Marina

The secret of the resilience of the Ukrainian people in the midst of the ongoing war comes “from union with... Read more

Pope Francis greets the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on Aug. 25, 2024.

Pope Francis on Ukraine’s Russian Orthodox Church ban: ‘Churches are not to be touched!’

Aug 26, 2024

By Daniel Payne

A new Ukrainian law, which passed the country’s Parliament on Aug. 20, bans the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukrainian territory. Read more

Sviatoslav Shevchuk is major archbishop of Kyiv–Galicia and primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

Catholic archbishop defends Ukrainian ban on Russian Orthodox Church activities

Aug 22, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said Russia has used the Russian Orthodox Church “as a tool of... Read more

A Ukrainian military vehicle drives from the direction of the border with Russia carrying blindfolded men in Russian military uniforms in the Sumy region on Aug. 13, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Vatican secretary of state says Ukraine’s military advances into Russia are ‘worrying’

Aug 14, 2024

By Tyler Arnold

Cardinal Pietro Parolin is expressing concerns about Ukraine’s recent military advances inside Russian territory, warning the actions could further escalate... Read more

Smoke billows into the air behind a Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church in Kyiv, Ukraine, after a missile attack on July 8, 2024.

Ukrainian Greek archbishop condemns ‘horrifying’ attack on children’s hospital

Jul 9, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said in a video accompanying a Monday press release that the strike was “a sin that cries... Read more

At his Angelus address June 9, 2024, Pope Francis  asked people to pray for the people who are suffering in Myanmar and in Ukraine, giving a special shoutout to some Ukrainians who were in the crowd waving flags.

EU bishop: Elections show citizens concerned about Ukraine war

Jun 25, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The bishop also spoke about the importance of pushing the new EU commission and parliament to reinforce diplomatic action toward... Read more

Pope Francis meets with Russia’s new ambassador to the Vatican Ivan Soltanovsky on Sept. 18, 2023, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis meets with Russian ambassador to the Vatican

Jun 25, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Pope Francis met with Ivan Soltanovsky, Russia’s ambassador to the Holy See, on June 22. Read more

The Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin attends a plenary session at the summit on peace in Ukraine at the luxury Burgenstock resort near Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 16, 2024.

Vatican’s secretary of state rues Russia’s absence at Ukraine peace conference

Jun 21, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

“Peace is always made together,” Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said June 19 as reported by Vatican News.  Read more

Members of ACLI (Italian Christian Workers' Associations) hold a sign with the word "peace" in Italian, in St. Peter's Square on June 1, 2024.

Pope Francis: Building peace requires ‘taking a risk’

Jun 1, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

Being peacemakers in the style of Jesus Christ, while necessary and valuable, can also be risky, Pope Francis said as... Read more

St. Stanislaus of Szczepanów is depicted as the patron saint of Poland in a miniature painted by Stanisław Samostrzelnik of Mogiła.

Why did Pope Francis invoke St. Stanislaus for peace in Ukraine and Israel?

May 8, 2024

By Peter Pinedo

The pope prayed that the intercession of St. Stanislaus “obtain ... the gift of peace in Europe and throughout the... Read more

Speaking in his Angelus address on March 3, 2024, about the Israel-Hamas war, Pope Francis made an emotional plea for negotiations to reach a deal that both frees the hostages immediately and grants civilians access to humanitarian aid.

Ukrainian officials criticize Pope Francis’ ‘white flag’ remarks on Russia-Ukraine war

Mar 12, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

“Our flag is a yellow and blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We... Read more

In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual state of the nation address at the Gostiny Dvor conference center in central Moscow on Feb. 29, 2024.

Putin warns West of nuclear war risk over Ukraine troop deployment

Feb 29, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

“[The West] must understand that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory,” Russian President Vladimir Putin... Read more

CNA

Ukraine war: ‘We’re praying for the conversion of Vladimir Putin,’ priest says

Feb 26, 2024

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

Feb. 24 marked the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more

Bishop Abdallah Elias Zaidan of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles serves as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace.

Leading bishop urges U.S. to send humanitarian aid to Ukraine, two years into war

Feb 26, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Bishop A. Elias Zaidan said Ukraine’s “schools, hospitals, apartments, and basic infrastructure supplying power have been hit by missiles” and... Read more

Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly, center, and Ukraine State Deputy Youriy Maletskiy give out Easter care packages to Ukrainian refugees in Rava-Ruska, Poland, in April 2022.

‘We are not going anywhere’: Knights of Columbus vow to keep up aid to Ukraine

Feb 21, 2024

By Peter Pinedo

“The founding mission of the Knights of Columbus was to care for the vulnerable,” said Szymon Czyszek, organizer of relief... Read more

Pope Francis meets with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican on May 13, 2023, their first meeting since the start of the full-scale war with Russia.

Pope Francis speaks with Zelenskyy about peace efforts in Ukraine

Dec 29, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the pontiff expressed “his wishes of peace — just peace for all of us” during... Read more

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s unicameral legislative body, located in Kiev.

Ukraine Parliament advances bill seen to ban Russia-linked Orthodox church from country

Oct 24, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

The law is widely seen as targeting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC). Read more