CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (LifeSiteNews) — Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV denounced part of the Trump administration’s peace plan for Ukraine for supposedly trying to split from its alliance with Europe.
During Pope Leo’s brief December 9 remarks, the pontiff emphasized that, while he hadn’t read the entire peace plan, he was disappointed that the U.S. appears to be trying to “break apart” from its long-standing alliance with Europe by not including them in the negotiations and criticizing their leadership in various interviews. Trump’s proposed 28-point peace plan, which has already been denounced by Ukraine and its European allies, would require Ukraine to officially cede territory to Russia, reduce its military, and enshrine in its constitution that it will not join NATO, while Russia would be required to honor Ukraine’s sovereignty, and the U.S. would offer security guarantees should Russia invade again.
“Unfortunately, some parts of (the peace plan) that I have seen make a huge change in what was for many, many years a true alliance between Europe and the United States,” Leo said. “The remarks that were made about Europe also in interviews recently, I think, are trying to break apart what I think needs to be a very important alliance today and in the future.”
The pontiff’s comments appear to refer to Trump repeatedly expressing in recent interviews his disappointment in European leaders and Volodymyr Zelensky for their criticism of his administration’s proposed peace deal.
During an interview with Politico published earlier Tuesday, the president accused his European counterparts of talking “too much” about the war and not producing a peace deal while lambasting them as “weak” for allowing their countries to “decay” through mass migration.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron have all slammed Trump’s proposal as favoring Russia, and Zelensky has said Ukraine will not cede any territory to Russia. In a Wednesday X post, Zelensky announced he is finalizing a revised 20-point peace plan with Russia that will soon be presented to the U.S.
The 20 points for ending the war form a fundamental document. We are actively working on the key steps – they must be doable. From this fundamental document, we are developing at least two additional ones. The first is on security – regarding security geuropeuarantees with the United… pic.twitter.com/uQVG4myA6Z
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 10, 2025
During a June episode of The John Henry Westen Show, retired Colonel Douglas Macgregor stressed to Westen that Russia has already won the war, and Zelensky’s government is desperately trying to convince the Western powers that they can still win.
“The regime in Kiev is largely distant from its own population,” Macgregor told Westen. “They’ve decided, and I think this man Zelensky is reflective of this small minority that runs the country, that they’re going to pull out every stop that’s available to try and persuade people, especially in Washington, but also in Western Europe, that there is still life left in this regime. And there isn’t.”
READ: Colonel Macgregor: Ukraine has already lost. It’s time for Trump to cut their funding
Macgregor, who briefly served in the first Trump administration, added that it’s time to make peace and the key to peace is for the U.S. to cut off all aid to Ukraine.
“(To end the war), it becomes important for us to do two things. Number one, stop all aid to the Ukrainian government, period. No more military assistance of any kind,” he said.
Earlier Tuesday, Pope Leo held a private audience with Zelensky at Castel Gandolfo during which the pontiff reiterated the importance of ongoing dialogue to negotiate peace and expressed his “urgent hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts will lead to a just and lasting peace,” per Vatican News. The pair also discussed efforts to bring home the Ukrainian children who have been captured by Russia during the war to their families.
Leo, the first American pontiff, has repeatedly criticized the Trump administration, especially its immigration policies, since his May election.
READ: Trump says he would meet with Pope Leo despite criticism on immigration
In October, Pope Leo called the administration’s treatment of illegal aliens “inhuman” and said the policy is not pro-life. The next month, the Holy Father expressed support for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) initiative aimed at supporting illegal immigrants.
