VATICAN CITY (RNS) – Before becoming Pope Leo XIV Cardinal Robert Prevost denounced Russia’s “imperialist invasion” of Ukraine, in a 2022 interview, saying Russia was seeking to conquer a territory for its own advantage.
“It’s already been proven that crimes against humanity are being committed in Ukraine,” he told the weekly Semanario Expresion in 2022 when he was still bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru. “I ask God for peace, but I believe that we need to be clearer, including some politicians in our countries who don’t want to recognize the horrors of the war and wickedness that Russia is realizing in all its activities in Ukraine.”
If Leo maintains this position on Russia’s actions in Ukraine, his papacy could signify a shift in how the Vatican’s diplomatic branch addresses the ongoing conflict.
While recognizing that the newly elected pope used “strong words” in the past regarding the conflict in Ukraine, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who oversees the Vatican’s foreign relations as secretary of state, told RNS he doesn’t think that will hinder the Vatican’s mediation efforts.
“The Russian side also appreciates the position of the Holy See, a position that tries to bring the parties together instead of creating further divisions,” he said.
Parolin, who was considered a front-runner in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, was a top aide in Pope Francis’ efforts to promote peace between Russia and Ukraine. The Argentine pope upheld a histor …