---
title: "What to Yield for Peace? Pope Leo Addresses Europe with a Hint at Ukraine"
description: "Pope Leo XIV stated in Metz that peace in Europe requires compromises and stepping back from certain positions in negotiations, while criticizing the arms race."
date: 2026-09-28T21:56:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/what-to-yield-for-peace-pope-leo-addresses-europe
tags: [pope-leo-xiv, vatican, ukraine-war, europe, diplomacy]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# What to Yield for Peace? Pope Leo Addresses Europe with a Hint at Ukraine

![Pope Leo XIV delivers a speech in Metz, France](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/28/papa-lev-obratios-v-evropu-s-namekom-na-ukrainu/papa-lev-obratios-v-evropu-s-namekom-na-ukrainu-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Pope Leo XIV urged Europe to show courage in negotiations and make compromises for peace.
- The pontiff criticized rising military budgets and the illusion that re-armament can solve conflicts.
- The speech in French Metz also addressed migration issues and the crisis of multilateral diplomacy.

Peace in Europe is impossible without courage in negotiations and a readiness to relinquish certain positions for the greater good. Meanwhile, military buildup does not bring an end to wars closer, but merely prepares the ground for new conflicts. This position was voiced by Pope Leo XIV while addressing European leaders in the French city of Metz on September 28, 2026.

### The Symbolism of Metz and the Call for Compromise

The pontiff's speech took place on the final day of his four-day visit to France. The location was chosen intentionally: Metz is the hometown of Robert Schuman, one of the key architects of the European Union. The first American Pope in history delivered his speech in French, and leaders in the hall gave him a standing ovation. The pontiff directly pointed to the return of war to Europe, calling it a new senseless slaughter that claims countless civilian lives daily.

### Rejection of Militarization and Criticism of the Arms Race

Although the Pope did not explicitly mention the war in Ukraine, a significant part of his keynote speech was dedicated to it. He urged the parties to compromise, drawing on the historical appeal made by Pope Benedict XV in 1917 during World War I. Leo XIV also harshly criticized the rise in European military budgets, which over the past year have increased the most since the end of the Cold War, largely driven by external pressures and Russia's aggressive behavior.

### Migration Policy and the Crisis of Multilateral Diplomacy

Standing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, the pontiff touched upon the integration of migrants, urging European leaders to provide them with development opportunities and combat human trafficking. Earlier, at the start of his trip, he warned of a deep crisis within international institutions, including the UN. These initiatives come against the backdrop of recent high-level diplomatic contacts, including leadership meetings in New York and the search for energy de-escalation pathways.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Чем уступить ради мира? Папа Лев обратился в Европу с намеком на Украину](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/chim-postupitisya-zaradi-miru-papa-lev-zvernuvsya-1790632346.html) - Основной источник информации о визите и речи Папы.
- [Папа Римский в Меце выступил с речью о мире и Европе](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D1%84%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F/20260928-%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BF%D0%B0-%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BC%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D0%B2-%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%86%D0%B5-%D0%B2%D1%8B%D1%81%D1%82%D1%83%D0%BF%D0%B8%D0%BB-%D1%81-%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%87%D1%8C%D1%8E-%D0%BE-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B5-%D0%B8-%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B5) - Детали выступления в Меце.
- [Лев XIV: свобода не исключает религию из общества](https://www.vaticannews.va/ru/pope/news/2026-09/lev-xiv-svoboda-ne-isklyuchaet-religiyu-iz-obshestva.html) - Подтверждено по источнику vaticannews.va
- [Папа Лев XIV встретился с жертвами сексуального насилия со стороны священников](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D1%84%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F/20260928-%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BF%D0%B0-%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B2-xiv-%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%81%D1%8F-%D1%81-%D0%B6%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8-%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%83%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D1%81%D0%BE-%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%8B-%D1%81%D0%B2%D1%8F%D1%89%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2) - Детали выступления в Меце.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Where and when did Pope Leo XIV deliver his speech on peace?
**A:** The speech took place on September 28, 2026, in the French city of Metz before European leaders.

### Q: What is the pontiff's stance on Europe's military budgets?
**A:** The Pope opposed the growth of military spending, stating that re-armament is not the answer to modern challenges and merely paves the way for new wars.