Pope Francis' words to a Swiss television generated a wave of negative reactions in Ukraine. The Pope suggested that Ukraine should opt for negotiation rather than war and said the country should “have the courage to raise the white flag,” which is a symbol of surrender.
Leaders in Ukraine were quick to respond to the Pope's words. They said it is not the victim who must surrender but the aggressor who must stop. The Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See said that it is just as useless to negotiate now as it was with Hitler in World War II.
The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, for example, was quite critical of the Pope's words. She said that surrender is synonymous with Russian occupation and that Russian occupation is synonymous with torture, sexual violence and mass graves.
The Ukrainian foreign minister also responded to the Pope. He said that the flag of his country is not white but blue and yellow.
The Vatican director of communications issued a clarifying statement saying the Pope used the term “white flag” to indicate truce or negotiation. He then repeated the Pope's call for a diplomatic solution.
JRB
TR: AT
