The Vatican envoy was summoned to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (11/3) to be served with a letter of protest in relation to the statements of Pope Francis, who on Saturday called on Kiev to have “the courage to raise a white flag and negotiate” with Moscow.
“Visvaldas Kulbokas was informed that Ukraine was disappointed by the pontiff’s words regarding the ‘white flag’ and the need to ‘show courage and negotiate’ with the aggressor,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Ukrainian diplomacy accused the pope of “legitimizing the law of the strongest” and encouraging them to “continue to ignore international law.”
“The head of the Holy See should send messages to the international community about the need to immediately join forces to ensure the victory of good over evil, as well as appeal to the aggressor and not the victim,” Kiev said.
President Zelensky strongly reacted on Sunday to the statements of Pope Francis, saying that his country will “never” raise a white flag against Moscow.
In an interview he gave to public broadcaster RTS in early February and which was broadcast on Saturday, Pope Francis, when asked about the situation in Ukraine, called on Kiev not to be “ashamed to negotiate before things get worse”.
As of Saturday night, the Vatican has sought to rectify the situation by insisting — according to a statement — that the wording “white flag” meant here “a cessation of hostilities,” a courageously negotiated truce” and not a delivery.
Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church since 2013, had already drawn criticism in the first months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for not clearly identifying Russia as the aggressor country.
The Vatican envoy was summoned to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (11/3) to be served with a letter of protest in relation to the statements of Pope Francis, who on Saturday called on Kiev to have “the courage to raise a white flag and negotiate” with Moscow.
“Visvaldas Kulbokas was informed that Ukraine was disappointed by the pontiff’s words regarding the ‘white flag’ and the need to ‘show courage and negotiate’ with the aggressor,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Ukrainian diplomacy accused the pope of “legitimizing the law of the strongest” and encouraging them to “continue to ignore international law.”
“The head of the Holy See should send messages to the international community about the need to immediately join forces to ensure the victory of good over evil, as well as appeal to the aggressor and not the victim,” Kiev said.
President Zelensky strongly reacted on Sunday to the statements of Pope Francis, saying that his country will “never” raise a white flag against Moscow.
In an interview he gave to public broadcaster RTS in early February and which was broadcast on Saturday, Pope Francis, when asked about the situation in Ukraine, called on Kiev not to be “ashamed to negotiate before things get worse”.
As of Saturday night, the Vatican has sought to rectify the situation by insisting — according to a statement — that the wording “white flag” meant here “a cessation of hostilities,” a courageously negotiated truce” and not a delivery.
Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church since 2013, had already drawn criticism in the first months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for not clearly identifying Russia as the aggressor country.
Source: RES-MPE
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