Ukraine War
The Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The Russian offensive triggered the largest refugee crisis since the Second World War. Thousands of people, including many civilians, have died in the war amid heavy fighting in the north, east, and south of Ukraine. The country is home to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the largest of the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome. Pope Francis has said that the Vatican is willing to mediate an end to the conflict between the predominantly Eastern Orthodox nations.
The Latest
Pope Francis conveys closeness to Ukraine in letter marking 1,000th day of war
In a letter sent to Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, apostolic nuncio to Ukraine, Pope Francis expressed his great sorrow for the... Read more
Vatican talks to China in continued Russia-Ukraine peace efforts
The phone conversation was the most recent step in the Vatican’s continued diplomatic efforts to promote lasting peace in the... Read more
Vatican secretary of state meets Ukrainian president Zelenskyy
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday at the end of a... Read more
Archbishop Gänswein on Baltic appointment: Ready for ‘the front’
Archbishop Georg Gänswein discussed his new role as Vatican nuncio to the Baltic states amid the war in Ukraine in... Read more
Ukrainian Greek archbishop condemns ‘horrifying’ attack on children’s hospital
Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said in a video accompanying a Monday press release that the strike was “a sin that cries... Read more
Pope Francis donates ambulance, opens war trauma center in Ukraine
Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner and prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, is traveling to Ukraine... Read more
Pope Francis makes peace appeal while holding rosary of slain Ukrainian soldier
Speaking in St. Peter’s Square on April 3, the pope revealed that the rosary belonged to a boy named Oleksandre,... Read more
Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church talks war, the pope, and same-sex blessings
In an exclusive interview with EWTN News, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk spoke of the continued need for humanitarian aid in... Read more
Vatican: Pope Francis’ ‘white flag’ remark a call for negotiations, not Ukraine’s surrender
The Holy Father made the remarks last month in a newly released television interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI. Read more
Ukrainian Catholic patriarch’s message in U.S.: ‘Please don’t give up Ukraine’
In an exclusive interview with EWTN News, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk pleaded for the president and U.S. lawmakers to renew... Read more
Pope Francis urges ‘an immediate cease-fire in Gaza’ that frees hostages, grants aid
In his Angelus address on March 3, the pope made an emotional plea for a deal that both frees the... Read more
Putin warns West of nuclear war risk over Ukraine troop deployment
“[The West] must understand that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory,” Russian President Vladimir Putin... Read more
Pope Francis, recovering from ‘mild flu,’ renews call for peace in Ukraine
Pope Francis appeared in good form during his Angelus address, marking the the Ukraine war’s second anniversary and reflecting on... Read more
Catholic Church in Ukraine facing extermination, bishops say
The bishops said that the Church in Ukraine could be facing severe repression and may once again be forced underground... Read more
Pope Francis at Sunday Angelus: ‘We must not be slaves to any earthly power’
During Sunday’s Angelus, Pope Francis spoke to the faithful on the importance of the correct relationship between the Church and... Read more
More Republicans hesitant on Ukraine funding as Zelenskyy talks to lawmakers, UN
A number of legislators are expressing reservations about sending more aid to Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is making his... Read more
Vatican cardinal to make charity mission to Ukraine city hit by Russian drones
Cardinal Konrad Krajewski is in Ukraine this week to open the House of Refuge “in the name of Pope Francis,... Read more
Pope Francis meets with new Russian ambassador to the Vatican
The meeting comes days after papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi visited Beijing to discuss efforts to bring about peace in... Read more
Cardinal Zuppi meets with Chinese official to discuss peace in Ukraine
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi met with Chinese Special Representative for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Read more
Why the Queen of Belgium can wear white when meeting the pope
She has the “privilège du blanc,” a papal privilege currently granted only to Catholic royalty from Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, Monaco,... Read more
