The Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, is expressing concerns about Ukraine’s recent military advances inside Russian territory, warning that the actions could further escalate the war.

“These are very worrying developments because it means opening new fronts,” Cardinal Parolin told journalists in Assisi, Italy, on Sunday, Aug. 11, according to the Holy See’s official news outlet Vatican News.

“In this sense, the chances for peace could become increasingly distant,” Cardinal Parolin warned.

The cardinal secretary of state made the comments at the Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi, where he concelebrated Mass in honor of the saint’s feast day. He also spoke about war during his homily, highlighting a need for love “in a world increasingly lacking in love and which at the same time hungers for love,” according to Vatican News.

“From Assisi, I want to launch a strong appeal for peace throughout the world,“ Cardinal Parolin said. “As the Holy Father has reiterated several times, war is a defeat for everyone and benefits no one.”

Ukrainian forces launched a military incursion into the Kursk Oblast in western Russia on Aug. 6. On Aug. 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the military had taken control of 74 Russian settlements in the region.

“Despite the difficult and intense battles, our forces continue to advance in the Kursk region,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

Russian news outlet Novaya Gazeta reported on Aug. 12 that Kursk Oblast acting governor Alexei Smirnov said Ukrainian forces had only taken control of 28 settlements — fewer than what Ukrainian officials are claiming.

The military advancement into Kursk is the first major Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 

Cardinal Parolin met with Zelenskyy in late July during a diplomatic visit to Ukraine. The cardinal said he “reiterated the pope’s closeness and commitment to finding a just and lasting peace.” Zelenskyy said after the meeting that he is “grateful for [the] cardinal’s support of our country and people.”

The Vatican has provided Ukraine with humanitarian aid throughout the war. The most recent truckloads of food, clothing, hygiene products, and medicine arrived in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Monday, Aug. 12, according to Vatican News.