Pope Francis on Sunday welcomed the resumption of grain exports from Ukraine, calling it “a sign of hope” and proof that “dialogue is possible” to end the war.
“I would like to welcome the departure of cargoes of grain from the ports of Ukraine. This step shows that it is possible to dialogue and achieve concrete results that benefit everyone”, declared the head of the Catholic Church, before the faithful gathered in Saint Peter’s Square, in Rome, at the end of the traditional Angelus prayer.
“This is also a sign of hope and I sincerely hope that by following this path, it will be possible to end the fighting and achieve a just and lasting peace,” he added.
On Saturday, a cargo ship arrived at the Ukrainian port of Chernomorsk, in the Odessa region of the Black Sea, to load grain for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
The blockade of large quantities of grain in Ukrainian ports since the beginning of the conflict has led to rising food prices in the poorest countries and a global food crisis.
At the end of July, Pope Francis, who has never stopped condemning the war while maintaining a diplomatic opening with Moscow, reiterated his “desire” to travel to Ukraine, without giving details on the date of a possible visit.
The 85-year-old pope will travel to Kazakhstan in mid-September to attend a congress of religious leaders, where he may meet with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Cyril, who is a close ally of Vladimir. Putin and supporter of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.
Source: Observadora
