Pope Francis has made countless appeals on behalf of the Ukrainian people. At the end of the general audience of June 15, he made yet another, urging people not to get used to the war as if it were a "distant thing."
"And please, let us not forget the martyred people of Ukraine at war. Let us not get used to living as if the war were a distant thing," he said.
"May our remembrance, our affection, our prayers and our help always be close to this people who are suffering so much and who are carrying out a true martyrdom."
In an interview with editors of Jesuit journals published in Europe, the Pope acknowledged the complexities that lead to war. But he especially emphasized the heroism of the Ukrainian people.