Pope Francis advocates for negotiated peace over endless war

"I ask the countries where wars are ongoing, all, to stop the war. Let them try to negotiate. Let them seek peace. A negotiated peace is better than an endless war," Pope Francis stated in the interview, which aired overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.

In the conversation, the topic of the situation in the Middle East was brought up. The Pope was asked if he could help in negotiations. He responded, "I can pray. And that's what I'm doing. I pray a lot."

"These children don't know how to laugh. I try to talk to them, but they have forgotten how to smile. It is very sad when a child forgets to smile," said Pope Francis about the war in Ukraine.

In the interview, Pope also commented on the role of the Church. "I would say there is always, always a place. If in some parish the priest does not seem welcoming, I understand but go look somewhere else; there is always a place," he stated.

"Do not run away from the Church. The Church is very big. It is more than a temple. You should not run away from it," emphasized Pope Francis in an interview for American television CBS.