EU chief meets Pope, discusses measures to stop Ukraine war & alleviate global food crisis

As the military aggression by Russian troops transcended 100 days, the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen met with the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis on Friday to discuss ways to stop the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and alleviate the worldwide food crisis it has aggravated. According to the Holy See Press Office, they met at the Secretariat of State and had a "cordial" conversation.

The Pope and the EU chief concentrated on their good bilateral ties and shared commitment to work to end the war in Ukraine, paying special emphasis to the humanitarian issues and food repercussions of the conflict's prolongation, The Vatican News reported.  

Taking to Twitter to apprise about the meeting, Ursula von der Leyen remarked, “We stand with those suffering from the destruction in Ukraine. This war must end, bringing peace back to Europe."

In addition to this, they also discussed the "conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe and on the consequences for the future structure of the Union.” 

As per the Vatican News report, EU chief Von der Leyen also spoke with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the country's foreign minister, who had just returned from war-torn Ukraine. 

Pope Francis urged Russia and Ukraine to hold negotiation talks

Apart from this, earlier on June 5, Pope Francis urged both Russia and Ukraine to come to the negotiating table for the sake of humanity. The pontiff described the current situation of the Russia Ukraine war as a "nightmare" and a "denial of God's dream" when addressing following the Queen of Heaven prayer on Pentecost. 

Furthermore, despite appeals from various global leaders and international peace organisations, he urged both presidents to listen to the desperate people who are bearing the brunt of the cruel conflict. He said, “I repeat my appeal to the leaders of the nations: please do not lead humanity to destruction! Let the real negotiations begin, concrete negotiations on a ceasefire and an acceptable solution,” as per media reports.  

Meanwhile, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen accused Moscow of using 'hunger' as a weapon. Leyen, speaking during a plenary session of the European Parliament on the conclusions of the extraordinary European Council meeting, stated that Russia's attack on Ukraine has had an impact on more than just economics, geopolitics, and security architecture. It has, nevertheless, had a global influence on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. She charged the Kremlin with including food in their "arsenal of terror." 

(Image: AP)