Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called on Russia and Ukraine to stop attacks on civilian facilities and to comply with international humanitarian law, Reuters reports.

“Tragic events are multiplying, leading to an ever-growing number of victims among the civilian population, including children,” the pontiff said before the Sunday Angelus prayer.

He again urged respect for international humanitarian law and an end to strikes on civilian targets by both sides.

According to the UN, more than 16,000 civilians have been killed in nearly four and a half years of the conflict, the vast majority of them in Ukraine.

The UN also noted that the number of civilians killed and injured in Ukraine in the first half of 2026 increased by more than a third, including due to a rise in drone attacks.