CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AFP)—Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he hoped that US President Donald Trump was looking to end the war in the Middle East, as he called for a halt to violence ahead of Easter.

“I’m told that President Trump recently stated that he would like to end the war, hopefully he’s looking for an off-ramp, hopefully he’s looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence, of bombing,” the pope told journalists as he left his residence in Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, for the Vatican.

That, the pope said, “would be a significant contribution to removing the hatred that’s being created and that’s increasing constantly in the Middle East and elsewhere”.

“I would certainly continue to give this call to all leaders of the world to say: ‘Come back to the table to dialogue, let’s look for solutions of problems’,” said the 70-year-old American pontiff.

With the Christian holiday of Easter approaching, “it should be the holiest, most sacred time of the whole year,” said Leo.

“It is a time of peace, a time for deep reflection, but as we all know, once again in the world, in many places we are seeing so much suffering, so many deaths, even innocent children.

“We continually make an appeal for peace, but unfortunately many people want to promote hatred, violence and war.”

The pope is preparing to celebrate Easter for the first time as pontiff on Sunday.