On August 13, His Holiness responded to questions from journalists at the Papal Residence in Castel Gandolfo, where he would spend the second part of his summer vacation until August 19.
This was reported by Vatican News.
When asked what he expects from the upcoming 15 August summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Leo XIV replied: “We must always seek a ceasefire. The violence, the many deaths, must stop. Let’s see how they can come to an agreement. Because after all this time, what is the purpose of war? We must always seek dialogue, diplomatic efforts, not violence, not weapons.”
And when asked if he is concerned about the possibility of the population of Gaza being deported, the Pope said: “The humanitarian crisis must be resolved. We cannot go on like this. We know the violence of terrorism, and we honor the many who have died, as well as the hostages — they must be freed. But we must also think of the many who are dying of hunger.”
When asked about the Vatican’s role in fostering peace and resolving conflicts, the Pope replied: “The Holy See cannot stop them... but we are working, let’s say, on ‘soft diplomacy,’ always inviting, encouraging the pursuit of nonviolence through dialogue and seeking solutions — because these problems cannot be solved by war.”