During his Urbi et Orbi blessing (“to the city and to the world”, editor’s note) for the Easter holiday this Sunday at the Vatican, Pope Francis called for “a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine “, urging again “not to give in to the logic of weapons”.
“While calling for respect for the principles of international law, I call for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine,” launched the Argentine sovereign pontiff in front of some 60,000 faithful. “Let us not let the ongoing hostilities continue to seriously affect the civilian population who are now exhausted, especially the children. How much suffering do we see in their eyes? Through their looks, they ask us: why? Why so many deaths? Why so many destruction?”
“War is always an absurdity and a defeat! Let us not let the winds of war blow ever stronger on Europe and the Mediterranean. Let us not give in to the logic of weapons and rearmament,” he said. continued, reviewing numerous conflicts that are shaking the world, citing more than a dozen countries, from the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria) to Africa (Sudan, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo) via Haiti, Burma or even Armenia and Azerbaijan.