It will be difficult for Ukraine to survive its war with Russia without U.S. support, but Ukrainians are determined to carry on with or without help from the Trump administration.
Russia
Posted inVatican Dispatch
On Ukraine war: Pope Francis the prophetic disruptor, Pope Leo the institutional pragmatist
Pope Leo XIV has taken a much more calculated, institutional approach, one that reflects his status as a Vatican “insider” in contrast with Pope Francis, who never held a Vatican role before his election.
Posted inNews
Pope Leo spoke by phone with President Zelensky about reaching a ceasefire in besieged city of Oleshky
Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine today, seeking a humanitarian ceasefire with Russia in the city of Oleshky, where 2,000 people are trapped without food.
Posted inVatican Dispatch
Pope Leo speaks with Putin by telephone from hospital
Pope Leo XIV “spoke by telephone” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, from his hospital room on Oct. 16 and asked him to call for a ceasefire in Oleshky, where the humanitarian situation is dire.
Posted inNews
Vatican’s top diplomat begins visit to Russia as European leaders flock to Ukraine
In Moscow, Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign secretary, is not scheduled to meet President Vladimir Putin.
Posted inDispatches
Four years of war: ‘The Ukrainian Catholic Church is wiped out every time there is Russian aggression.’
Four years into the war, when Russian attacks on the power grid in the middle of a brutal winter have caused suffering for millions, the needs are as urgent as ever. For Ukrainian refugees in the United States, uncertainty is the word of the day.
Posted inShort Take
In talks with Putin, Trump can’t ignore nuclear safety and plight of displaced Ukrainians
Freedom of movement for displaced Ukrainians should be part of any negotiations to secure a peace that is at least proximally just and humane.
Posted inNews
Pope Leo says he hopes Trump-Putin meeting leads to ceasefire in Ukraine
Pope Leo XIV told reporters he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin can find a way to reach a ceasefire in Russia’s war on Ukraine when they meet in Alaska.
Posted inFaith, News
Pope Leo: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine
Pope Leo XIV met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy today and reaffirmed the Vatican’s willingness to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
What Americans can learn about true freedom from a Ukrainian activist
Each year at this time, near the Fourth of July, we contemplate freedom. But maybe we are also being called to do an extended examination of our own fears.