Ukraine and its allies criticize the statements of Pope Francis

2024-03-11 12:17:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ukraine and its regional allies have criticized Pope Francis on March 10, who suggested during an interview that Kiev should open talks with Moscow and used the term "white flag".

The Vatican later tried to retract some of the sentences, saying Francis was not talking about "capitulation".

Francis has suggested, during an interview partially published on March 9, that Ukraine, facing a possible defeat, should have the "courage" to sit down and talk with Russia for peace, saying that it is not a shame to wave the "white flag".

The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, criticized Francis - without mentioning his name - saying that "the church should be with the people. And, not 2,500 kilometers away, somewhere, to mediate virtually between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you".

Earlier, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, reacted more directly on social networks, saying that "when it comes to the 'white flag', we know the strategy of the Vatican from the first part of the 20th century".

Many historians had criticized the Vatican during World War II, saying that Pope Pius XII remained silent during the Holocaust. The Vatican repeatedly argues that, at the time, it was unable to verify diplomatic reports of Nazi atrocities, and therefore did not condemn them.

Kuleba wrote on social networks: "I call for the avoidance of repeating the mistakes of the past and for support for Ukraine and its people in their just struggle for survival."

"Our flag is yellow and blue. With this flag we live, die and triumph. We will never raise another flag," he added.

Zelensky has insisted that he will not talk directly with Russia unless the conditions of his "formula" for peace are met.

Ukraine's demands for peace are that Russia withdraw all its troops from Ukraine, return its borders to the era after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and that Russia be held accountable for its actions.

After criticism of the pope, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni explained that, in his words about Ukraine, Francis meant to "call for a ceasefire and for the return of courage for talks" and that he did not mean capitulation.

Ukraine's regional allies also expressed anger at the pope's comments.

"How do you say, as a balance, we encourage Putin to have the courage to withdraw his army from Ukraine? Peace would prevail immediately without the need for talks," said Poland's foreign minister, Radoslaë Sikorski. Lithuania's president, Edgars Rinkevichs, wrote on social networks: "My conclusion for this Sunday: You cannot surrender to the league, you must fight it and defeat it, so that evil will raise the white flag and surrender."

Alexandra Valkenburg, ambassador and head of the EU delegation to the Holy See, wrote: “Russia... can end this war immediately while respecting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU supports Ukraine and its plan for peace"./ Rel