Pope appeals to Vladimir Putin to end 'spiral of violence' in Ukraine

Pope Francis appealed to Russian President Putin, imploring him to stop this spiral of violence and death in Ukraine, and denounced what he called the absurd risk of nuclear war

Pope Francis on Sunday appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, imploring him to stop this spiral of violence and death in Ukraine, and denounced what he called the absurd risk of nuclear war.

Francis made his strongest appeal yet on the seventh-month war as he addressed the public in St. Peter's Square.

The pontiff also called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be open to serious peace proposals. He also exhorted the international community to use all diplomatic instruments to end this huge tragedy and horror of war.