Pope Leo XIV is calling on Christians in the Middle East to resist the growing pressure to flee conflict zones, urging them to stay in their homelands and continue to bear witness to the faith. Speaking at a Vatican meeting with Eastern Catholic Churches on Wednesday, the new pontiff said believers must be given more than just promises, that they must be provided the real conditions needed to remain.

“Christians must be given the opportunity, and not just in words, to remain in their native lands with all the rights needed for a secure existence. Please, let us strive for this!” Pope Leo said, according to AFP, addressing communities that “persevere and remain in their homelands, resisting the temptation to abandon them.”

The pope’s call came as part of a message stressing the urgent need for peace across war zones. He called on political leaders around the world to pursue negotiations and dialogue instead of war: “The peoples of our world desire peace, and to their leaders I appeal with all my heart: Let us meet, let us talk, let us negotiate!”

The American pontif offered the Vatican’s support in helping facilitate peace talks, saying: “The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies together, face to face, to talk to one another, so that peoples everywhere may once more find hope and recover the dignity they deserve, the dignity of peace.”

He also warned against divisive narratives that fuel conflict, saying, “Our neighbors are not first our enemies, but fellow human beings.”

The new pope, elected just last week, has made peace a central focus of his early papacy. His first public words from St. Peter’s Square were, “Peace be with all of you.”

On Wednesday, he said, “War is never inevitable. Weapons can and must be silenced, for they do not resolve problems but only increase them. Those who make history are the peacemakers, not those who sow seeds of suffering.”

On Sunday, he called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages, and an end to the war in Ukraine. He also welcomed signs of a truce between India and Pakistan.

Earlier this week, the pope held a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, his first known conversation with a world leader since assuming office. According to Zelensky’s office, Pope Leo offered to help mediate peace talks. Zelensky is expected to attend the pope’s inaugural mass on May 18 and may take part in diplomatic meetings while in Rome, according to Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak.