Pope Francis sees Ukraine war as ‘perverse abuse of power’

The head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis has stated that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is nothing but “perverse abuse of power” that has subjected helpless people to “brutal violence.” 

The Pope said in a message to a Catholic Church conference in Slovakia that, “The tragedy of the war taking place in the heart of Europe has left us stunned,”

“Once more humanity is threatened by a perverse abuse of power and partisan interests which condemns defenceless people to suffer every form of brutal violence,” he added.

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, however said, on Friday that Moscow was ready to search for solutions amid negotiations with Ukraine.

Francis is the first pope to be a member of the Society of Jesus, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope from outside Europe since Gregory III, a Syrian who reigned in the 8th century.