POPE Francis appealed for gestures of trust and reconciliation as tensions rise between Russia and Ukraine after a build-up of Russian military personnel on the eastern Ukranian border and in Crimea.
Speaking after the recitation of the Regina Coeli, Pope Francis said the situation was a “sad” one, and said he is “following with great concern events in areas of eastern Ukraine, where violations of the ceasefire have multiplied in recent months”.
“I strongly hope an increase in tensions will be avoided, and, on the contrary, that gestures be made that are capable of promoting mutual trust and fostering reconciliation and peace, which are so much needed and so much desired.”
He also warned about the grave humanitarian situation affecting the population in the areas where tensions continue and said he is close to the people.
He asked the faithful present in St Peter’s Square and those who were following through the media to join him in prayer for them.
Renewed clashes between the Ukranian army and pro-Russian separatists have re-ignited tensions along the eastern border.
Yesterday, it was reported British Royal Navy warships were preparing to sail for the Black Sea in the next month.
This would be a show of support for Ukraine by the British and its NATO allies.
International observers have voiced their concerns of a return to war between the Ukrainian government and two Moscow-backed separatist republics, the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.
Ukraine considers these two republics to be temporarily occupying two of their regions under Russian military intervention.
Pope Francis’ call for peace echoes the deals struck in an internationally brokered ceasefire agreed upon by both sides in 2015.
In the last few years, there has been steadily increasing tensions between the two sides and repeated accusations of truce violations.
An estimated 3,350 civilians and 10,000 military personnel have been killed in the conflict while about 30,000 people have been wounded since the war began in 2014.
Thousands of civilians have been displaced as a result.
