Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, lamented a Russian strike on a maternity and children’s hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, and pleaded for negotiations.

“The first version that was given for this war was that it was a military operation aimed only at destroying military installations in Ukraine in order to guarantee the security of Russia,” he said on March 9 in response to questions from journalists. “Bombing a hospital for children, a pediatric hospital, has nothing to do with this purpose.”

“There has to be openness on everyone’s part, because only if there is willingness to really negotiate and find agreements can the problems be resolved,” he added. “If everyone clings to their positions, nothing can be done. The war will continue and become ever more deadly, and with the prospect, God help us, that it could even spread. I hope not, I hope not.”