Not surprisingly, Pope Francis mentioned Ukraine today in his traditional Christmas message of peace. Here is RFE/RL report on his annual speech (Ukraine related text italicized and marked in bold):
Pope's Christmas Message Urges Peace, Comforts Victims Of Terrorism
Pope Francis has urged peace in the Middle East and offered comfort to those who lost loved ones to terrorism.
Delivering his traditional Christmas address on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on December 25, the pope called for guns to fall silent in Syria, saying "far too much blood has been spilled" in the nearly six-year conflict.
Citing those suffering in the Syrian war -- especially during the "most awful battles" in Aleppo -- he pressed the international community for a peaceful solution.
Pope Francis also urged Israelis and Palestinians to abandon hate and revenge.
In the speech that comes less than a week after a deadly terrorist attack in Berlin, the pope said he hoped for "peace to those who have lost a person dear to them as a result of brutal acts of terrorism." The December 19 truck attack on a Berlin Christmas market left twelve people dead and injured dozens of others.
The pontiff also made reference to those who "continue to suffer from the consequences of the conflict in eastern Ukraine," where a cease-fire has been officially in place since December 24 although both sides have accused each other of violations. Francis said that "a common resolve is urgently needed to bring relief to the population and to implement the commitments that have been made."
The pope also called for an end to "fundamentalist terrorism" in Nigeria that he said "exploits even children," a reference to child suicide-bombers.
Speaking in more general terms, Francis urged everyone to help the less fortunate, including migrants, refugees, and those swept up by social and economic upheavals.
There was a heavy police presence around St. Peter's Square, where some 40,000 gathered for the pope's annual message.
The entrance to the square has been protected by concrete barriers since the Berlin attack.
With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
Tweeted by Ukraine's ambassador to Finland:
Another tweet from the U.K. ambassador to Kyiv:
Here's an update on the cease-fire (or lack thereof) in eastern Ukraine:
Ukrainian Army, Separatists Trade Accusations Of Cease-Fire Violations
The Ukrainian army and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine have accused each other of violating a cease-fire that took effect just a day ago.
The army press service said on December 25 that the separatists had fired 39 times at various government-controlled areas near the front line, despite the truce agreement.
The military said the separatists shelled the Maryinka, Shirokine, Talakovka, and Vodyanoye residential neighborhoods in the Mariupol area.
Ukrainian military positions also came under machine-gun and mortar fire in the Luhansk and Donetsk areas, it added.
Meanwhile, the separatists accused the Ukrainian military of violating the truce more than 220 times since it came into effect at midnight on December 24.
Ukrainian forces shelled 10 residential areas in territory controlled by the group that calls itself the Donetsk People’s Republic, a separatist official said on December 25.
The so-called "indefinite" cease-fire between the two sides was agreed on December 21.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the agreement was a sign that his war-weary nation is on the road to a lasting peace after nine previously negotiated cease-fires unraveled.
Self-described leaders of the separatists also said the truce was a sign of hope after a recent sharp upsurge in violence in the Donbas region.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said they welcomed what Steinmeier called a "unanimous recommitment" to peace ahead of the holidays.
Orthodox Christmas is observed on January 7.
The two sides agreed to a similar holiday truce last year. It lasted for several weeks before fighting slowly resumed.
Based on reporting by Interfax and Unian.net
From an editor of the Kyiv Post:
And here's a seasonal greeting from the U.K. ambassador to Ukraine:
Good morning. It seems to be pretty quiet this morning, but here's something that will definitely be of interest to Ukraine (and Russia) watchers, in case you missed it earlier: