War in Ukraine Would Be 'Madness', Says Pope Francis

Pope Francis, during a meeting with faithful in the Vatican, stated that a war in Ukraine would be 'madness'. This was reported by Reuters.

The Pope also expressed hope that tensions between Kyiv and Moscow would be overcome through multilateral dialogue, particularly with the help of the Normandy format. 'Let us continue to pray to God for peace, so that serious dialogue can overcome the tension and threat of war, and that negotiations in the Normandy format may contribute to this goal. And let us not forget that war is madness,' said the pontiff.

Additionally, Pope Francis thanked those who participated in the international prayer for peace in Ukraine on January 26.