Pope provokes outrage in hinting that Ukraine should surrender to Russia

Francis’s failure to condemn Moscow as the aggressor was decried as ‘shameful’ and ‘incomprehensible’

The Ukrainian government has responded angrily and vowed never to surrender after Pope Francis said the country should have “the courage to raise the white flag” and negotiate an end to the war with Russia.

“Our flag is a yellow and blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags,” Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said on social media on Sunday.

Politicians and commentators in Europe expressed outrage after the pontiff gave an interview in which he appeared to stay silent on Russia’s crimes as aggressor in the invasion and placed the onus on Ukraine to make peace.

Kuleba called on Francis to stand “on the side of good” and not put Russia and Ukraine “on the same footing and call it ‘negotiations’”

He also appeared to reference collaboration between some of the Catholic church and Nazi forces during the second world war, adding: “At the same time, when it comes to the white flag, we know this Vatican strategy from the first half of the 20th century. I urge to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and to support Ukraine and its people in their just struggle for their lives.”

The Latvian president, Edgars Rinkēvičs, wrote on X: “My Sunday morning take: One must not capitulate in [the] face of evil, one must fight it and defeat it, so that the evil raises the white flag and capitulates.”

Dennis Radtke, a German Christian Democrat MEP, said the word “shameful” could be used to describe the pope’s comments. “His stance on Ukraine reflects poorly on his pontificate. It is incomprehensible,” Radtke posted on X.

Beschämend ist leider treffend. Dieser #Papst hat so viel Begeisterung und Hoffnung zu Beginn ausgelöst. Seine Haltung zur Ukraine wirft ein schlechtes Licht auf sein Pontifikat. Es ist nicht zu verstehen https://t.co/fpQ5LeRhAI

— Dennis Radtke (@RadtkeMdEP) March 10, 2024

The Polish foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, wrote on X: “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.”

Alexandra Valkenburg, the head of the EU delegation to the Holy See, said on X: “Russia started an illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine two years ago”, adding that Russia “can end this war immediately by respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”. She said the EU supported Ukraine and its peace plan.

The Guardian