Pope Francis’ ‘white flag’ remark is met by criticism from Ukraine and allies

Ukrainian and allied officers criticized Pope Francis for saying that Kyiv ought to have the “courage” to barter an finish to the conflict with Russia, an announcement many interpreted as a name on Ukraine to give up.

The overseas minister of Poland, a vocal ally of Kyiv, and Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican each used World Struggle II analogies to sentence the pope’s remarks, whereas a pacesetter of one among Ukraine’s Christian church buildings on Sunday stated that solely the nation’s decided resistance to Russia’s aggression had prevented a mass slaughter of civilians.

In an interview recorded final month with Swiss broadcaster RSI and partially launched on Saturday, Francis used the phrase “the courage of the white flag” as he argued that Ukraine, dealing with a potential defeat, must be open to peace talks brokered by worldwide powers.

“How about, for balance, encouraging Putin to have the courage to withdraw his army from Ukraine? Peace would immediately ensue without the need for negotiations,” Polish International Minister Radek Sikorski responded with a publish on X, previously Twitter.

In a separate publish, Sikorski drew parallels between these calling for negotiations whereas “denying (Ukraine) the means to defend itself” and European leaders’ “appeasement” of Adolf Hitler simply earlier than World Struggle II.

Andrii Yurash, Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See, stated that it was “necessary to learn lessons” from that battle. His publish on X appeared to check the pope’s feedback to requires “talking with Hitler” whereas elevating “a white flag to satisfy him.”

A Vatican spokesman later clarified that the pope supported “a stop to hostilities (and) a truce achieved with the courage of negotiations,” moderately than an outright Ukrainian give up. Matteo Bruni stated that the journalist interviewing Francis used the time period “white flag” within the query that prompted the controversial remarks.

“I think that the strongest one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people and has the courage of the white flag, and negotiates,” Francis stated, when requested to weigh in on the talk between those that say that Ukraine ought to comply with peace talks and people who argue that any negotiations would legitimize Moscow’s aggression.

Kyiv stays agency on not partaking instantly with Russia on peace talks, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated a number of occasions the initiative in peace negotiations should come from the nation that has been invaded.

All through the conflict, Francis has tried to take care of the Vatican’s conventional diplomatic neutrality, however that has typically been accompanied by obvious sympathy with the Russian rationale for invading Ukraine, reminiscent of when he famous that NATO was “barking at Russia’s door” with its eastward enlargement.

Whereas the pope has spoken up to now in regards to the want for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, the RSI interview seems to mark the primary time when he publicly used phrases reminiscent of “white flag” or “defeated” whereas discussing the conflict.

Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the top of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, stated Sunday that give up shouldn’t be on the minds of Ukrainians.

“Ukraine is wounded, but unconquered! Ukraine is exhausted, but it stands and will endure. Believe me, it never crosses anyone’s mind to surrender. Even where there is fighting today: listen to our people in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Kharkiv, Sumy,” Shevchuk stated whereas assembly with Ukrainians in New York Metropolis. He talked about the areas which were beneath heavy Russian artillery and drone assaults.

Shevchuk additionally spoke of the brutality of Moscow’s aggression, referencing the city close to Kyiv the place Russian occupation left tons of of civilians useless within the streets and in mass graves. He argued that, if not for Ukrainians’ fierce resistance as Russian forces marched on the capital in February 2022, the ugly scenes seen in Bucha would have been “just an introduction.”

Throughout the Angelus prayer on Sunday from the window overlooking St. Peter’s Sq., Francis stated that he was praying “for peace in the tormented Ukraine and in the Holy Land.”

“Let the hostilities which cause immense suffering among the civilian population cease as soon as possible,” he stated.