CASTEL GANDOLFO: Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday called for a global truce on Christmas Day, expressing “great sadness” that “apparently Russia rejected a request” for one.
“I am renewing my request to all people of good will to respect a day of peace — at least on the feast of the birth of our Savior,” Leo told reporters at his residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and has repeatedly rejected calls for a ceasefire saying it would only give a military advantage to Ukraine.
“Among the things that cause me great sadness is the fact that Russia has apparently rejected a request for a truce,” the pope said.
Referring to conflicts in general, Leo said: “I hope they will listen and there will be 24 hours of peace in the whole world,” he added.
Ukraine on Tuesday pulled out troops from a town in the east of the country after fierce battles with Russian forces as relentless strikes by Moscow killed three civilians and cut power to thousands in freezing winter temperatures.
There was no sign of an imminent breakthrough after top negotiators from both Russia and Ukraine were in Miami last weekend for separate meetings with US officials seeking a deal to end almost four years of fighting.
Pope Leo met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month.
Asked if he would accept Zelensky’s invitation to visit Ukraine, Leo later said “I hope so,” but cautioned it was not possible to say when such a trip would be possible.
He also said that seeking peace in Ukraine without European diplomatic involvement was “unrealistic” and warned US President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan risked a “huge change” in the transatlantic alliance.
Pope Leo XIV calls for global truce on Christmas Day
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Pope Leo XIV calls for global truce on Christmas Day
- Pope Leo expressed “great sadness” that “apparently Russia rejected a request” for truce
Italy says it can reactivate coal-powered plants if Gulf crisis worsens
- Fratin said Italy has “coal-powered stations that I wouldn’t like to re-activate but they are there in reserve to safeguard our country“
- Italy has a diversified portfolio of gas suppliers, which include Norway, Algeria and Azerbaijan
ROME: Italy’s energy minister said on Wednesday that the country can reactivate some coal-fired power stations if conflict in the Middle East should lead to an energy crisis.
Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said in a television interview that Italy has “coal-powered stations that I wouldn’t like to re-activate but they are there in reserve to safeguard our country.”
Israeli and US forces struck targets across Iran on Tuesday, prompting Iranian strikes against energy infrastructure in other Gulf states considered US allies, in a region that accounts for just under a third of global oil production.
Iran has also targeted tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Traffic remained effectively closed for a fourth day after Iran attacked five ships.
Italy has a diversified portfolio of gas suppliers, which include Norway, Algeria and Azerbaijan among others.
In addition the country’s quantities of gas storage are at relatively high levels.
“On the (energy) security front, our country is ... quite safe quantitatively,” Pichetto Fratin said.
“We have the highest storage levels in Europe, we have diversified sources, and therefore we can say there is not an extremely severe situation regarding the quantities of resources, and I am speaking mainly about gas,” he added.
