Pope Francis has kissed a battered Ukrainian flag that was brought to him from the Ukrainian city of Bucha and called again for an end to the war.

Francis welcomed a half-dozen Ukrainian children up to the stage of the Vatican audience hall at the end of his general audience and gave them each a giant chocolate Easter egg. He urged prayers for them and for all Ukrainians.

He told the crowd: “These children had to flee to arrive in a safe place. This is the fruit of war”.