Pope Francis, a leader of the Vatican, has compared the conflict in Ukraine to a crime against God and against humanity. He called for an end to it.

The Pope spoke during a Vatican address on Monday, January 9 to the diplomatic corps. He said that conflicts like the one in Ukraine with its "wake to death and destruction" as well as "attacks against civil infrastructures" were crimes "against God"

"Today, I feel bound to renew my appeal for an immediate end to this senseless conflict, whose effects are felt in entire regions, also outside of Europe, due to its repercussions in the areas of energy and food production, above all in Africa and in the Middle East," he stressed.

He also highlighted the impact of the war in Ukraine on the "most fragile – children, the elderly, the disabled," saying it "leaves an indelible mark on families