The newly appointed Pope Leo XIV spoke out against Russia's continued war against Ukraine in an interview on May 9.
Speaking with Peruvian news outlet Semanario Expresión, Pope Leo condemned Russia's war against Ukraine, characterizing it as a "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power.”.
Pope Leo was appointed just earlier this week on May 8, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 at the age of 88.
By clearing naming Russia's imperialist aspirations in Ukraine, the new pope's comments come as a departure from his predecessor's position on the war.
While Pope Francis was widely seen as a reformer who led the church with compassion and humanity, his legacy in Ukraine is more complex.
Throughout Russia's full-scale invasion, many Ukrainians viewed Pope Francis' statements as failing to clearly assign responsibility for the war.
As leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo will play a decisive role in shaping how the religious institution responds to Europe’s largest war since World War II. »