MADRID, 10 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, rejected this Sunday Pope Francis’ statements in which he asked him for “courage” to “raise the white flag” and negotiate peace with Russia and reproached him for trying to mediate “between those who want to live and who wants to destroy us.”
“I thank the Ukrainian chaplains who are with the army, with the Defense Forces. They are on the front lines, protecting life and humanity and supporting with their prayers, words and actions. That is what the church does, be with the people, not somewhere 2,500 kilometers away virtually mediating between those who want to live and those who want to destroy us,” Zelensky said in his daily evening speech.
The Ukrainian leader has indicated that “when the Russian evil started this war on February 24, all Ukrainians rose up for defense.” “Christians, Muslims, Jews, … everyone,” he argued.
Francis asked Zelensky “to see the situation, to think about the people, to have the courage of the white flag, to negotiate.” “Today you can negotiate with the help of international powers. The word negotiate is brave,” the Pope said in an interview recorded last month with Swiss radio station RSI.
“When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you must have the courage to negotiate. You are ashamed, but how many dead will it end up with? Negotiate in time, look for some countries to mediate. There are many in the war in Ukraine. Turkey , has offered. And others. Don’t be ashamed to negotiate before it gets worse,” he added.
For the Pope “negotiating is never giving up.” “It is the courage to not lead the country to suicide. The Ukrainians, with the history they have, poor things, the Ukrainians in Stalin’s time suffered how much they suffered…” he pointed out. Furthermore, behind wars “is the arms industry.” “It is a collective sin,” she warned. “War is crazy, it’s crazy,” she stressed.
