POPE FRANCIS SAYS UKRAINE MUST BE ‘FAR-SIGHTED’ FOR PEACE

Fri 25 November 2022:

Ukraine’s leaders will have to be “far-sighted” to secure peace, Pope Francis says, suggesting that Kyiv would have to make concessions.

The pope this month had called for a ceasefire to avert the risk of escalation of the conflict and asked God to “hurry up” to end it.

In an open letter to mark the nine-month anniversary of the Russian invasion, Francis praised the strength of Ukrainians in the face of the onslaught.

“The world has recognised a bold and strong people, a people that suffers and prays, cries and struggles, resists and hopes: a noble and martyred people,” he wrote.

He also said he was praying for Ukraine’s rulers.

“On them lies the duty to govern the country in tragic times and to make far-sighted decisions for peace and to develop the economy during the destruction of so much vital infrastructure,” the leader of the Catholic Church said.

Russian attacks leave millions in extreme hardship: OHCHR

The UN human rights chief says Russian attacks on critical infrastructure in Ukraine since October killed at least 77 civilians and plunged millions into extreme hardship.

“Millions are being plunged into extreme hardship and appalling conditions of life by these strikes,” said Volker Turk in a statement.

“Taken as a whole, this raises serious problems under international humanitarian law, which requires a concrete and direct military advantage for each object attacked.”

In the same statement, the UN’s preliminary analysis of videos showing Ukrainian soldiers executing Russian prisoners of war indicated they were “highly likely to be authentic”.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent