Pope Leo urges concessions to end the war in Ukraine

Pope Leo has publicly urged the warring parties to make mutual concessions in order to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, according to a Politico Europe report. Specific details of the pope's remarks were not included in the available material, but the call comes as the conflict continues without a clear path to resolution.

Wider context

Against the backdrop of the prolonged war and its impact on Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron announced he would convene a G7 meeting, citing sharply rising energy prices and intensifying Russian hybrid attacks. Macron stressed there was no quick fix for high energy costs, nor for the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Separately, Pope Leo has also been active in French domestic affairs. During a visit to the Élysée Palace, he called for dialogue as populist forces gain influence in France, defending freedom of conscience without directly naming the far right. The visit came as presidential front-runner Marine Le Pen revived a proposal to ban headscarves.

France's political landscape has seen other significant shifts in the same period. Le Pen's National Rally secured a historic victory, winning enough seats to form a group in the French Senate, the parliament's upper house, for the first time. Meanwhile, controversial commentator Éric Zemmour let slip that he will run for president for a second time.

Taken together, Politico Europe's coverage points to mounting pressure on European leaders, who face an unresolved war in Ukraine, an energy crisis, and the strengthening of populist movements at home as interconnected challenges.