Russo-Ukrainian War

The Latest

Market in Shevchenkove settlement in Kharkiv Oblast of Ukraine after a 2023 Russian rocket strike.

‘Charity doesn’t go on vacation’: Pope Leo XIV sends food to families in Ukraine

Jul 19, 2025

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

Pope Leo XIV once again expressed his closeness to the people of Ukraine by sending packages of food destined to... Read more

Pope Leo XIV greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Castel Gandolfo on July 9, 2025.

Pope Leo XIV receives Ukrainian president Zelenskyy at Castel Gandolfo

According to an official statement from the Holy See, the two leaders discussed the ongoing conflict and “the urgency of... Read more

Pope Leo XIV receives a drawing from a girl participating in the “Estate Ragazzi in Vatican” summer camp on July 3, 2025, at the Vatican.

Pope Leo XIV speaks about war with visiting children from Ukraine

Pope Leo XIV met with children and adolescents participating in the Vatican’s summer camp for kids. Some 300 Ukrainian youth... Read more

Pope Leo XIV greets Sviatoslav Shevchuk, primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, on July 2, 2025, at the Vatican.

Pope Leo XIV encourages Ukrainian bishops during meeting at the Vatican

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday, July 2, received in audience bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Read more

Palace of the Senate of the Russian Empire in Moscow.

Religious freedom report: Russia guilty of ‘severe’ violations against religious minorities

Jul 2, 2025

By Tyler Arnold

A June 30 U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom report found continued “intense persecution” of Ukrainian Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant... Read more

Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims at his general audience in St. Peter’s Square on June 18, 2025.

‘We must not get used to war’ Pope Leo XIV says in call for peace

Jun 18, 2025

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

Addressing pilgrims at the end of Wednesday’s general audience, the pontiff lamented that “the Church is brokenhearted at the cry... Read more

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, June 1, 2025 for the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly.

Pope Leo XIV has phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin

Jun 4, 2025

By Madalaine Elhabbal

“The pope made an appeal for Russia to take a gesture that would favor peace, emphasizing the importance of dialogue,”... Read more

Pope Leo XIV prays with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for his general audience on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

Pope Leo XIV decries severe suffering in Gaza and Ukraine

May 28, 2025

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

At the end of Wednesday’s general audience, Pope Leo XIV turned his attention to the people suffering the devastating consequences... Read more

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski distributes food to Ukrainians on a recent humanitarian trip to the war-torn country.

Cardinal Krajewski in Ukraine: ‘People are hungry, living in poverty in the war zone’

Apr 10, 2025

By Victoria Cardiel

One of the four ambulances donated by Pope Francis to Ukraine was personally driven by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, papal almoner,... Read more

Pope Francis blesses an ambulance that he donated to to treat the wounded in Ukraine’s Ternopil region in 2024.

Pope Francis sending Cardinal Krajewski back to Ukraine to deliver 4 more ambulances

Apr 7, 2025

By Victoria Cardiel

According to the Dicastery for Charity on Monday, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, pontifical almoner, will be responsible for delivering four ambulances... Read more

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shakes hands with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin during a meeting at the Vatican on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024.

Zelenskyy delivers list of POWs in Russia to the Vatican to mediate their release

Mar 14, 2025

By Victoria Cardiel

“The Holy See has received a list of Ukrainians being held in Russian prisons and camps. We are counting on... Read more

Father Ivan Levystky (left) and Father Bohdan Geleta (right) were held for more than a year after being captured by the Russians in Berdyansk and released on June 28, 2024.

Church in Ukraine has lost half of its parishes in areas occupied by Russia, bishop says

Oct 29, 2024

By Eduardo Berdejo

Maksym Ryabukha, the new Greek Catholic bishop of the Donetsk exarchate, said “the situation is increasingly worrying” since the war... Read more

Pope Francis and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi at the Vatican on Aug. 24, 2023.

Cardinal Zuppi heading to Beijing to discuss peace efforts in Ukraine

Sep 12, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed on Tuesday that the cardinal will be in the Chinese capital as the pope’s peace... Read more

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, presides over a Divine Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sept. 10, 2023.

Ukrainian Catholic leader offers Divine Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica

Sep 11, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said Sept. 10 that he wanted to express gratitude to the pope and Catholics everywhere for... Read more

Pope Francis meets with Hungary President Katalin Novák at the Vatican on Aug. 25, 2023.

Pope Francis discusses family values, Ukraine war with Hungarian president

Aug 25, 2023

By Courtney Mares

In the 45-minute meeting on Aug. 25, the pope and Novák spoke about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and efforts... Read more

Marina Aleykseyeva, 31, from Kiev, Ukraine, (second from left with a pink baseball cap), together with fellow pilgrims from Ukraine, attended World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, Aug. 1–6, 2023. She said they traveled to the international gathering to pray for peace in their country.

Ukrainian Catholics receive warm reception at World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon

Aug 16, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Marina Aleykseyeva, a Ukrainian pilgrim, said “it was unbelievable” how many people stopped them on the streets to say they... Read more

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.

Vatican diplomat: Pope Francis ‘stubbornly believes in peace’ 

Jul 18, 2023

By Daniel Payne

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher last week defended what he described as Pope Francis’ “strong and courageous” push for peace in... Read more

Pope Francis’ envoy to Ukraine Cardinal Matteo Zuppi on June 6, 2023, finished a “brief but intense” two-day visit to Kyiv, which included a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Papal envoy to Ukraine meets with President Zelenskyy, concludes ‘intense’ visit

Jun 6, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

Pope Francis’ envoy to Ukraine Cardinal Matteo Zuppi on Tuesday finished a “brief but intense” two-day visit to Kyiv. Read more

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, Italy.

Cardinal Zuppi arrives in Ukraine to begin work as Vatican peace envoy

Jun 5, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi arrived in Kyiv on Monday to carry out the peace mission entrusted to him by Pope Francis. Read more

Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal meets Pope Francis in a private, 30-minute encounter at the Vatican on the morning of April 27, 2023.

Ukraine’s prime minister asks Pope Francis to help bring back children taken to Russia

Apr 27, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Ukraine’s prime minister told journalists Thursday that he has asked Pope Francis for help getting back children forcibly deported to... Read more