Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin made an appeal to the international community to put an end to conflicts on the sidelines of an event at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome.

Vatican News

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin made an appeal to the international community as a whole to put an end to conflicts on Tuesday, October 28, while speaking to the press on the sidelines of an event at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome.  

“Everyone’s contribution is truly needed to take a few steps towards peace” in Ukraine, he said. From the United States, to Europe – which is called upon to play a “more prominent role” – to China and the East, where US President Donald Trump is currently visiting.

Cardinal Parolin was participating in an event at the Holy See’s pediatric hospital to mark the 40th anniversary of its recognition as a Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization, and Healthcare (IRCCS).

A collective effort to end conflicts

Regarding the war in Ukraine, Cardinal Parolin called for prudence but also for hope: “It’s not easy to answer” questions about the steps that need to be undertaken for a truce. “If we knew, we would already have taken them. I believe that some negotiations are underway, perhaps not publicly,” he added.

Reiterating his hope that these talks will bear fruit, the Secretary of State underlined the need for a broad commitment from the international community. “The involvement of the United States is certainly needed, and we hope that Europe will take on a more prominent role. China, too, has something to say—in fact, President Trump is currently in China and the Far East to address this point. Everyone’s contribution is truly needed to take a few steps towards peace.”

The meeting with Prime Minister Orbán

When asked about the audience granted on Monday, October 27, to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the Cardinal described the meeting as “a good encounter,” explaining that “each side was able to express its own point of view.” When asked whether their positions were “distant,” he replied: “We are trying to bring them closer and closer.”

Humanitarian commitment

During his encounter with the journalists, the Cardinal Secretary of State described the Bambino Gesù Hospital as an example of “excellence” in Catholic and Italian healthcare. “This is an important moment,” he said, “to highlight the presence and role of Bambino Gesù within both Catholic and national healthcare.”

He recalled the hospital’s humanitarian work, which has welcomed children not only from Palestine but also from other countries affected by conflict. “Bambino Gesù is doing great humanitarian work,” said the Cardinal.

“We are committed on this front, believing that also humanitarian efforts – both in caring for war victims and in prisoner exchanges – can be a preparatory step towards peace,” he said, adding that the Holy See feels “deeply committed” in this field, “which is a traditional area in which Vatican diplomacy has been active since the First World War.”