Pope Francis on Wednesday commemorated 1,000 days since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, describing the conflict as a “shameful disaster for humanity” during a Vatican audience attended by Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska.

“Yesterday marked 1,000 days since the invasion of Ukraine—a sorrowful milestone for the lives lost and the devastation it has wrought,” the Argentine pontiff remarked at the close of his weekly general audience.

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“But at the same time, it stands as a shameful catastrophe for all of humanity,” he continued, addressing the thousands of attendees in St. Peter’s Square. Among the crowd was Zelenska, accompanied by the First Ladies of Armenia, Lithuania, and Serbia.

Pope Francis expressed deep solidarity with the “martyred Ukrainian people” and called for efforts to ensure that weapons are replaced by dialogue. He emphasized the need for peace and urged that all actions work toward ending the violence.

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During his audience, Pope Francis also shared a letter from a Ukrainian student, who vividly described the horrors of the war and the suffering of the people.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Pope Francis has repeatedly called for an end to the conflict and a return to peace.