Pope says peace in Ukraine 'cannot be postponed'

VATICAN CITY- Pope Leo made an impassioned appeal on Sunday for peace in Ukraine, saying an end to the four-year-old conflict "cannot be postponed" as the United States tries to broker an elusive accord between Moscow and Kyiv.

Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour on February 24, 2022, used drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in its latest attacks overnight, the Ukrainian military and local officials said on Sunday.

"My heart goes out again to the dramatic situation that everyone can see," the pope said during his weekly address to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square after a Sunday prayer.

"So many victims, so many broken lives and families, so much destruction, so much unspeakable suffering."

The U.S. has been seeking to mediate between the two sides, but progress has been halting, with Russia demanding Ukraine withdraw from parts of the eastern Donbas region it still controls, an idea Kyiv has rejected.

"Peace cannot be postponed," the pope said. "It is an urgent necessity that must find space in hearts and be translated into responsible decisions."

He said war was a "wound inflicted on the entire human family", which leaves behind "death, devastation, and a trail of pain that marks generations."