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Pope Leo urges concessions to end war in Ukraine, speaking near French-German border

Pope Leo said on Monday, Sept. 28, that negotiators seeking to end the war in Ukraine must be willing to sacrifice some positions to achieve peace, speaking during an address near the French-German border in Metz, France.

By The Lumen desk · Sept 28, 2026 · 1 min read
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What we know
1 Pope Leo spoke on Monday, Sept. 28, in Metz, France, near the French-German border.
2 He said negotiators seeking to end the Ukraine war must be willing to sacrifice some positions to achieve peace.
3 The speech also touched on broader challenges facing Europe, according to Politico Europe.
4 The war in Ukraine, described by The Straits Times as Russia's war, has continued despite efforts to end it.

Pope Leo called for compromise to end the war in Ukraine, saying negotiators must be willing to give up some positions to achieve peace as efforts to end the conflict continue to falter, according to Reuters and The Straits Times.

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The pope made the remarks on Monday during a speech in Metz, France, near the French-German border, in which he also addressed broader challenges facing Europe, according to Politico Europe.

The Washington Post described the appearance as part of Pope Leo leaning into a statesman role, urging peace amid what it called an era of renewed war.

How each side covered it

Left

1 outlet
  • The Washington Post framed the speech as part of Pope Leo taking on a broader statesman role.
  • Coverage emphasized his calls for peace amid what it described as an era of renewed war.

“Pope Leo leans into statesman role, urging peace in an era of renewed war” — The Washington Post

Center

4 outlets
  • Reuters and The Straits Times reported Pope Leo's call for negotiators to accept concessions to achieve peace in Ukraine.
  • The Straits Times specified the remarks were made in Metz, France, on Monday, Sept. 28.
  • Politico Europe noted the speech also addressed broader challenges facing Europe, delivered near the French-German border.

“Pope Leo urges concessions for peace as Ukraine war drags on” — Reuters

Questions readers ask

What did Pope Leo say about the war in Ukraine?

Pope Leo said negotiators seeking to end the war in Ukraine must be willing to sacrifice some positions in order to achieve peace, as efforts to end the conflict continue to fail.

Where did Pope Leo make these remarks?

He spoke on Monday, Sept. 28, in Metz, France, in an address near the French-German border, according to Politico Europe.

Did Pope Leo address other topics besides Ukraine?

Yes, according to Politico Europe, his speech also addressed broader challenges facing Europe.

How did coverage of the speech differ across outlets?

Center-leaning outlets focused on Pope Leo's specific call for concessions to end the Ukraine war, while The Washington Post framed the speech more broadly as part of the pope taking on a statesman role amid renewed global conflict. No right-leaning coverage was supplied.

Sources · 5 outlet reports

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