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The 87-year-old Catholic chief advised a Swiss broadcaster that Ukraine ought to negotiate with Russia and raised the concept of give up.
Ukraine has rejected Pope Francis' name for talks with Russia greater than two years after its invasion, saying Kiev will “by no means” give up.
“Our flag is yellow and blue. It’s the flag by which we stay, die and prevail. “We are going to by no means increase every other flag,” Ukrainian Overseas Minister Dmytro Kuleba mentioned on social media Sunday, a day after the Pope mentioned Kiev “will need to have the braveness to lift the white flag.”
The 87-year-old Catholic chief mentioned in an interview with Swiss broadcaster RTS that Ukraine ought to negotiate with Russia, which has seized giant swaths of Ukrainian territory since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In a portion of the interview launched Saturday, the Catholic chief raised the potential of give up.
Pope Francis mentioned in an interview, “I imagine that the strongest are those that see the scenario, take into consideration the individuals and have the braveness to lift the white flag and negotiate.” The Vatican mentioned the interview was performed in early February.
Kuleba known as on the Pope to face “on the facet of excellent” and name it 'dialogue' by not placing the opposing sides “on the identical degree.”
The strongest is the one who, within the battle between good and evil, stands on the facet of excellent as a substitute of placing them on the identical footing and calling it a “negotiation”.
On the identical time, on the subject of the white flag, we all know the Vatican's technique from the primary half…
– Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) 10 March 2024
Kuleba additionally referenced the collaboration of some Catholic Church buildings with Nazi forces throughout World Conflict II when he mentioned the next: “On the identical time, on the subject of the white flag, we see this technique of the Vatican within the first half of the twentieth century. Know from. ,
“I urge you to keep away from repeating the errors of the previous and assist Ukraine and its individuals of their simply battle for all times,” Kuleba mentioned.
He additionally thanked Pope Francis for his “continued prayers for peace” and mentioned Kiev hoped he would go to Ukraine.
“We hope that after two years of devastating struggle within the coronary heart of Europe, the Pontiff may have the chance to make an Apostolic Go to to Ukraine to assist the multiple million Ukrainian Catholics, the greater than 5 million Greek-Catholics and all Ukrainians. ” Kuleba mentioned.
The international minister of Poland, a vocal Kiev ally, additionally condemned the Pope's feedback.
“For stability, how about encouraging Putin to have the braveness to withdraw his troops from Ukraine? Peace will likely be established instantly with out the necessity for negotiations, Polish Overseas Minister Radosław Sikorski mentioned in a submit on Twitter.
For stability, how about encouraging Putin to have the braveness to withdraw his troops from Ukraine?
Peace will likely be established instantly with out the necessity for negotiation. https://t.co/gWNYSUt79u– Radosław Sikorski 🇵🇱🇪🇺 (@sikorskiradek) 10 March 2024
In a separate submit, Sikorsky drew parallels between these calling for negotiations by “denying (to Ukraine) the means to defend itself” and the “appeasement” of European leaders to Adolf Hitler earlier than World Conflict II.
Ukraine's ambassador to the Holy See, Andriy Yurash, in contrast the Pope's feedback to a name to “discuss to Hitler” whereas waving “a white flag to fulfill Hitler.”
Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, additionally mentioned Sunday that give up will not be on the minds of Ukrainians.
“Ukraine is wounded, however invincible! Ukraine is drained, however it stands and can endure. Consider me, the considered give up by no means involves anybody's thoughts. Even the place combating remains to be happening in the present day: hearken to our individuals in Kherson, Zaporizhia, Odessa, Kharkiv, Sumy,'' he mentioned.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni later clarified that the Pope explicitly supported “a cessation of hostilities (and) a negotiated ceasefire achieved with braveness” quite than a Ukrainian give up.
Whereas Pope Francis has tried to keep up the Vatican's conventional diplomatic neutrality, he has additionally expressed some sympathy for the Russian rationale for invading Ukraine, corresponding to when he famous that NATO with its eastward enlargement ” Barking on the door of Russia”.
Ukraine has been adamant on in a roundabout way partaking with Russia in peace talks, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying a number of instances that peace talks ought to happen with the nation that has been invaded.