Ukrainian authorities have refuted an appeal by Pope Francis for peaceful negotiations to conclude the ongoing hostilities with Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy classified the Pope’s effort as a “virtual mediation”, while Ukraine’s Foreign Minister insisted that capitulation was out of the question.
During an interview, the Pope, for the first time, mentioned the idea of hoisting a “white flag” and seeking negotiation when a conflicting party faces hardship. Despite previous mentions of needing dialogues, this was the first time terms like “defeat” or “white flag” were used in reference to the Ukrainian conflict.
In his evening video address, President Zelenskiy didn’t directly respond to the Pope or his statements but highlighted the support from religious representatives in Ukraine. “Their involvement, whether through prayer, dialogue or actions, exemplify what a people’s church truly is”, he added. He dismissed the idea of remote mediation as it fails to significantly help those on the ground facing potential destruction.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, via social platform X, stated that the good side in a dispute holds its ground instead of stooping to a level-playing field under the disguise of negotiations. He then emphasised their national colours of blue and yellow that they stand by. “This is the flag that we live, die, and prevail under. We will refrain from hoisting any other flags”, he passionately wrote.
Kuleba drew attention to past allegations of Pope Pius XII’s inaction against Nazi Germany during World War II, urging the Vatican not to repeat the same mistakes and lend their support to Ukraine’s struggle.
The viewpoint of Ukraine’s Eastern Rite Catholic Church leader, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, mirrored the same as he outright dismissed the pontiff’s suggestions. His message from New York noted the resilience of Ukraine, which is battered but unbowed, completely rejecting the notion of surrender.
According to Italy’s ANSA news agency, Moscow interpreted Pope Francis’s plea for diplomatic discussions to resolve the Ukraine conflict as a call to the West to curb its desire to conquer Russia and acknowledge its miscalculations in the Ukrainian war. Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, communicated this perspective to ANSA.
Zakharova went on to criticise the West for using Ukraine in its pursuit to destabilise Russia and insisted Russia has always been open to negotiations. She emphasised that Ukraine is currently at an impasse. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s leader, Mr Zelenskiy, demanded that all Russian forces be removed and the country’s post-Soviet borders be restored, terms which the Kremlin refuses to entertain for discussions.
Throughout the war, Pope Francis’s comments have sparked controversy with Ukrainian officials, including an instance last year where he encouraged Russian youth to take honour in being descendants of tsars like Peter the Great, each one being highlighted by President Putin to justify his moves in Ukraine.
European leaders standing by Ukraine in their struggle against Russian invasions have scorned Pope Francis’s recent remarks. The Polish foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski mentioned in a post on ‘X’, “I suggest, for fairness, that Putin is persuaded to bravely retreat his armed forces from Ukraine”. In a similar vein, Latvian president, Edgars Rinkevics posted on ‘X’: “One must not yield to wickedness, one has to confront it and conquer it, such that the wicked hoists the white flag and surrenders.”