Ukraine-U.S. Peace Talks Continue in Florida as Zelenskiy Pushes for Diplomatic Progress 
U.S. Prosecutors Scrutinize Colombian President Petro in Drug Trafficking Probes 
S&P 500 Rebounds After Netanyahu's Statements on Iran's Military Setbacks 
Taiwan Strengthens Deterrence Amid Ongoing Chinese Military Threat 
Brazil's Haddad Leaves Finance Ministry to Run for São Paulo Governor 
U.S.-Iran War Escalates: Marines Deploy, Strait of Hormuz Closure Drives Global Oil Crisis 
Ukraine-U.S. Peace Talks Resume in Florida Amid Ongoing Russia-Ukraine War 
TSA Absences Surge During Government Shutdown as ICE Agents Prepare Airport Deployment 
Cuba-U.S. Military Tensions: Havana Warns It Is Ready to Defend Itself Against Potential American Aggression 
Trump Presses Japan to Support Iran War Effort, Cites Pearl Harbor in Surprise Defense 
Cuba Rejects U.S. Demands to Remove President Diaz-Canel Amid Ongoing Negotiations 
Ukraine-U.S. Peace Talks in Florida Target Ceasefire Framework and Defense Cooperation 
Trump Administration Quietly Approves $7 Billion in Unannounced Weapons Sales to UAE 
Trump Links DHS Funding to Voter ID Legislation 
Trump Signals End of U.S. Military Campaign Against Iran as Markets Rally 
Iran Threatens Gulf Infrastructure as U.S.-Israel War Enters Critical 48-Hour Window 
Trump White House Unveils National AI Policy Framework for Congress 
Pope Francis has openly criticized the ongoing war in Ukraine and has constantly prayed for an end to the conflict. Ukraine’s foreign ministry has renewed its invitation for the pontiff to visit.
The spokesperson for the Ukrainian foreign ministry, Oleg Nikolenko, said Monday that Kyiv is renewing its invitation for the Pope to visit Ukraine, following his comments in an interview the pontiff had with Reuters.
“It is time to deepen connections with those who sincerely desire it. We renew the invitation to Pope Francis to visit our country and urge you to continue praying for the Ukrainian people,” said Nikolenko.
In the interview, Pope Francis said he hoped to visit both Moscow and Kyiv after his trip to Canada as an effort to end the war in Ukraine that is already in its fourth month.
The Pontiff made an indirect criticism of Russia last week, accusing Moscow of aggression and imperialism as it continues to bombard Ukraine, killing thousands of civilians. Pope Francis made the criticism during his meeting with a delegation of Orthodox Christian leaders of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from Istanbul, saying the war has turned Christians against each other.
“Reconciliation among separated Christians, as a means of contributing to peace between peoples in conflict, is a most timely consideration these days, as our world is disrupted by a cruel and senseless war of aggression in which many, many Christians are fighting one another,” said the Pontiff.
The Pope added that all must “recognize that armed conquest, expansionism, and imperialism have nothing to do with the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed.”
Both Russia and Ukraine are predominantly Orthodox Christians. However, there is a Byzantine-rite minority in Ukraine that is loyal to the Pope.
Also, last week, the Pope condemned the bombing of a shopping center in Ukraine by Russian missiles in the city of Kremenchuk. At least 18 people were killed, and around 60 were injured from the blast.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed that the strike intended to hit a military target in the city and that the shopping center was not being used.
The Pope said the strike at the shopping center was the latest in Russia’s “barbarous” attacks on Ukraine since the invasion in February.
