Pope makes Easter plea for Ukraine peace

Tens of thousands of people packed St Peter’s Square (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

Pope Francis has made an anguished Easter Sunday plea for peace in the “senseless” war in Ukraine and in other armed conflicts raging in the world, and cited the “troubling” risk of nuclear warfare.

“May there be peace for war-torn Ukraine, so sorely tried by the violence and destruction of this cruel and senseless war into which it was dragged,” Francis said, speaking from the central balcony of St Peter’s Square.