Pope Leo XIV voices hope for peace after US envoys visit Kyiv and Moscow

Pope Leo XIV has said he is hopeful that peace can be reached in Ukraine following the recent visits of US President Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to Kyiv and Moscow. Speaking on September 7, 2026, the pope repeated his call for an end to the violence and said he hoped these efforts would help restart negotiations and lead to concrete results.

"My heart is united with the suffering of the people of Ukraine, who have lived in anguish and fear for years," the pope said. "I renew my appeal to end the violence, stop the destruction and open hearts to dialogue and peace." He said he hoped the recent efforts to resume diplomatic talks would bear tangible fruit.

Diplomatic efforts in Moscow and Kyiv

Witkoff and Kushner visited on September 5 and 6, meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and then Ukrainian leaders in Kyiv. In Moscow, the US delegation discussed plans for next steps to be announced in the coming weeks. In Kyiv, the envoys held three rounds of talks with Ukrainian representatives and European partners on the diplomatic steps ahead and the conditions needed for a just peace.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that after the talks in Kyiv, representatives of Ukraine, the United States and Europe agreed to meet again to continue the discussions.