While serving as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, Robert Prevost — recently appointed Pope Leo XIV — spoke out against Russia's continued war against Ukraine in a 2022 interview. Speaking with Peruvian news outlet Semanario Expresión, Prevost condemned Russia's war against Ukraine, characterizing it as a "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power."
By explicitly naming Russia's imperialist aspirations in Ukraine, the pope's past comments come as a departure from his predecessor's position on the war and may indicate a potential change in messaging from the Vatican. While Pope Francis was widely seen as a reformer who led the church with compassion and humanity, his legacy in Ukraine is more complex.
Throughout Russia's full-scale invasion, many Ukrainians viewed Pope Francis' statements as failing to clearly assign responsibility for the war. His description of Ukrainians and Russians as "brothers" was perceived as painfully out of touch amid Moscow's brutal war. Additionally, while Pope Francis repeatedly called for peace, he also failed to call out Russia as the aggressor or to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In 2022 Interview, Pope Condemned Russia's 'Imperialist' Invasion of Ukraine
Last edited by Ryuu96 - on 11 May 2025
