ROME: Pope Francis has asked Ukraine that it must have what he called the courage of the “white flag” and negotiate an end to the war with Russia.
The two-year was has so far killed tens of thousands of people.
Francis said this in an interview recorded in February with Swiss TV channel RSI, well before Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan made his latest offer on Friday to facilitate a meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia to end the war.
President Erdogan made this new proposal after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Istanbul. Ukraine’s president said he wants peace but will not cede any territory.
The Ukrainian leader’s own peace plan calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops from all over Ukraine and the restoration of state borders. The Kremlin refused to participate in peace talks based on the terms set by Kiev.
There was no immediate response from a spokesman for president Zelensky on the Pope’s remarks.
In the interview, Francisco argued that there is a debate between those who argue that Ukraine should surrender because it has failed to push back Russian forces, and those who argue that doing so would legitimize the actions of the strongest party. The interviewer used the word “white flag” as he posed a question.
“It is one interpretation, that is true,” Francis said, according to an advance transcript of the interview and a partial video made available to a section of media on Saturday. The Pop’s interview is due to be broadcast on March 20 as part of a cultural programme.
“But 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 said and added talks should be held with the help of global powers.
In 2023, the 87-year-old pope sent a peace envoy, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, to Moscow, Kyiv and Washington in a bid to resolve the issue.
“Do not be ashamed of negotiating, before things get worse,” said Francis, who has made hundreds of appeals for what he calls “martyred Ukraine”. Asked if he was willing to mediate, Francis said “I am here”.
Last month Ukrainian president said that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since the Russian invasion in February 2022 and that tens of thousands of civilians had been killed in the occupied areas of the country.
