Pope’s statement on Ukraine: Vatican wants to smooth things over

After Pope Francis’ statements about the war against Ukraine, the Vatican is reassuring. Pope’s deputy Cardinal Parolin made it clear that the aggressors should stop the shelling – that was a prerequisite for negotiations.

The Vatican has once again tried to categorize Pope Francis’ controversial statement that Ukraine should raise the white flag and negotiate with Russia. The first condition for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is that Russia stops its aggression, Pope Deputy Cardinal Pietro Parolin said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

The Vatican is pushing for a ceasefire and “first and foremost, the aggressors should stop shelling,” said the cardinal. When asked why Francis only addressed the Ukrainian side, the cardinal replied that it was due to the context of the question.

Parolin also stated that the Vatican is currently concerned that the war against Ukraine could expand and bring even more death and destruction. There is also a risk of nuclear escalation. This is also why the Holy See is pushing for a negotiated solution.

Interview on Swiss television

The Pope said in an interview on Swiss television published in advance at the weekend: “When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate.” Without directly naming either of the two parties to the conflict, Russia or Ukraine, he added that without negotiations the situation could become even worse, which is why we should not be ashamed of that.

In the interview, Francis is also asked about demands from Ukraine for “the courage to surrender, to raise the white flag,” which others see as legitimizing the stronger side. To this the Pope answers in general: “It’s a question of perspective. But I think that the stronger is the one who recognizes the situation, who thinks about the people, who has the courage of the white flag to negotiate.”

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry then summoned the papal nuncio on Monday to express his “disappointment” with Francis’ statements. Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas was told at the Foreign Ministry that the Pope was expected to “send signals to the world community that it is necessary to immediately join forces to ensure the victory of good over evil.”

Angry reactions from Ukraine

In Ukraine, the term “white flag” used by the Pope was immediately understood as a call to surrender and immediately triggered angry reactions. “It seems strange that the Pope does not call for the defense of Ukraine, does not condemn Russia as an aggressor that is killing tens of thousands of people,” wrote former MP and Deputy Interior Minister Anton Herashchenko on Network X.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also contradicted Francis’ statements – although without mentioning him directly. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said: “Our flag is yellow and blue. This is the flag with which we live, die and persevere. We will never raise another flag,” he wrote on X. He thanked the Pope for his prayers during the two years of the war and invited him to visit Ukraine.

Bruni: No call for surrender

The Vatican tried to limit the damage over the weekend and tried to classify the Pope’s statements. Pope spokesman Matteo Bruni contradicted reports that the Pope had called on Ukraine to surrender in the interview. He wanted “above all to call for a ceasefire and to revive the courage to negotiate.”