The leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis on Thursday condemned in strong terms, the ‘monstrosities, the tortured bodies’ which were in war-torn Ukraine, in prayers after his weekly audience.
The 86-year-old cleric asserted that he had spoken to Catholic Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who is presently on his fourth humanitarian and pastoral mission to the country, about the “terrible situation in tormented Ukraine”.
‘He told me about the pain of those people, the savagery, the monstrosity, the tortured bodies they are discovering,’ Pope Francis said.
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During his visit to Ukraine, Polish cardinal Krajewski prayed before the mass graves discovered outside the formerly Russian-occupied city of Izyum, according to Vatican News.
‘One is dumbfounded by such horror,’ he told the website, the Vatican’s official media outlet.
Meanwhile, the President of France Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday informed the United Nations that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a move back to an age of what he described as ‘imperialism’.
‘What we have witnessed since February 24 is a return to the age of imperialism and colonies. France refuses this and will work persistently for peace,’ he informed the UN General Assembly.
‘Who is a hegemon now if not Russia?’ he asked.
Macron addressed the General Assembly hours after Russian allies said they would call referendums on annexation in occupied parts of Ukraine, a move denounced by Western powers.
European countries and the United States have imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia but a number of developing nations have sought more of a middle ground and fear that the Ukraine crisis is overshadowing other concerns.
Macron had last Friday tagged Britain as being an ally no matter who is in charge after the favourite to take over from Boris Johnson had refused to openly accept if the French leader was a ‘friend or foe’.