Pope Leo XIV expressed concern over the growing number of armed conflicts in the world and called for continuing to seek solutions through dialogue and diplomacy.

“Unfortunately, the winds of war are once again blowing in the Middle East, in Ukraine, and in many other parts of the world, sowing violence, terror, and death, and once again affecting many innocent people,” the pontiff wrote on social network X.

He urged people not to allow conflicts to destroy hope for peace, “even when it seems fragile and wavering.”

“I once again express my hope that we will follow the path of dialogue, encounter, and diplomacy. Only this path can lead to a just and lasting peace, in which peoples can live in reconciliation, mutual security, and respect for the dignity of every person,” Leo XIV emphasized.